Recently on the Facebook page of a local website, the publisher asked her readers to share a story about the best moment they experienced that week. As a bonus, the person who shared the best story would receive a prize. When I read this posting it got me to thinking – what would I say about my week? As a stay at home mum with one year old twins it really is hard to pinpoint the best moment. They are so full of happiness and enthusiasm for life. Each day they wake up with a smile and rush about trying to explore the world as best as they can. It is a pleasure, privilege and joy to spend time with them.
Outside of my time with the children, I thought about any other moments I might have had. It came to me that during that week I had met a lot of friendly people in the store. I visited the new Joe Fresh store on Granville Street and encountered friendly people. I purchased groceries at the local Choices in Yaletown and found a teller who spontaneously greeted me in French. We ended up sharing a recipe. Just prior to entering the check out line I heard about the birth of another employee’s first grandchild. I purchased bread in Urban Fare and met a man who can neither speak nor hear. He tried to answer my questions with gestures and wore a friendly smile.
When you aren’t going to an office everyday, your encounters in the public realm are more random and unexpected. You also might spend longer periods of time without face-to-face contact with other adults. This is assuming you aren’t one of those mums who goes out to a lot to events, programmes and shopping excursions. Since I keep life pretty simple for my children and me, the quality of my interactions are more important than ever.
I am happy to report that despite many stories about gloomy Vancouverites, this past week I encountered many friendly locals with smiles on their faces. Clearly it’s the simplest gestures in life that make life more pleasant for everyone.
Daily Dish Archives Pamela Chan/Publisher, BCfamily.ca
What do you think about this topic? Please leave a comment using the comment function below or by visiting our Facebook page. We would love to hear from you!