60 Something and Amazed

Amazed...to be filled with wonder or astonishment, to be surprised. I am amazed at how all the little twists and turns, and decisions can lead you to a place that you had not expected to go and create events that you could not possibly have planned on your own. It is amazing.

However, that is not how this day began. A normal Saturday, the long awaited Estate Sale circled in the local trader's newspaper with map and directions. Up at 4:00 AM, downed a cup of coffee, put on the work jeans, pink ball cap and grabbed the umbrella as it had already started to drizzle rain. At the last minute I decided to change caps and swapped the pink one for the black Breast Cancer Awareness ball cap with a pink ribbon located around the cap band. Off to the Estate sale we go, my husband had graciously volunteered to drive my new van and help if I saw something to buy. Well the IF was unnecessary as I have never been to an estate sale that I didn't find something to buy. Fortunately, my record still holds because I found a set of beautiful end tables, a patio chair, large painting in a wood frame and an antique piano bench. We loaded the van and as we were leaving we decided to go eat breakfast, since it was still early. My husband suggested our local Huddle House, but I wanted to go to another restaurant that I pass everyday going to work and the parking lot is always full. So off to the country style homemade breakfast restaurant we go. The parking lot was packed, but we were able to find one last parking spot. We went in, sat down and excitedly explained to our waitress that this was our first time to eat there. We both ordered omelets, hash browns and a side of biscuits and white country gravy. We knew we could not eat it all, but everything on the menu looked so appetizing. As we waited for our order to arrive we observed how many customers were wearing their favorite State University cap or t-shirt. It was game day so the topic of conversation around us was about the two football games later this afternoon. As we waited, we began to notice new customers arriving, being served and finally leaving...and we waited. At one point my husband asked our waitress if we needed to order something different. She hung her head and said that our order would be ready soon. As we waited...and waited...and waited, beyond the point of maintaining our patience, we chose to pay for our drinks and leave, feeling very disappointed.

Driving away from the missed country breakfast opportunity, my husband once again suggested Huddle House. While I was not overjoyed I was hungry. As we drove into the parking lot we could see that the establishment was busy and decided that if there was a long line, we would just go to the grocery store and buy something to cook at home. And of course there was a line, about 3 or 4 groups of people ahead of us waiting to be seated when a table became available. We waited a few minutes and as we were just about ready to leave the Hostess came up and said as she was pointing to the right side of the restaurant, "that couple has invited you to join them at their booth." Oh no, I thought to myself. I do not know those people and I do not want to sit with strangers. As I looked in their direction, they were sliding over in the booth and moving their plates of food, extending a waving hand as to say, "come on over and join us." Thoughts were churning, this is embarrassing, I do not want to be rude because now others waiting in line are looking at us. Oh my goodness, what to do? Being Southern born with a life-time of manners being drilled into my head, I slowly walked over to their booth and my dear hubby just followed. We sat down, thanked them and introduced ourselves. They appeared to be about our age. They each introduced themselves and we began to make "small-talk" to ease the uncomfortableness. She quickly noticed my Breast Cancer Awareness cap and asked if I was a "survivor. I said," yes, 3 years." She replied, "9 years for me." We soon found that we shared the same Oncologist and the same Occupational therapist - I had found a kindred spirit. We began sharing our stories, our children and grandchildren, and before I finished my hash browns we were the best of friends. They invited us to a cookout at their church and before they left, we were exchanging phone numbers. Wow!

Amazing! That is how God works. If you think about all the multiple players and decisions that God put into motion long before we decided to go to breakfast, it is truly amazing! The decision of the family to have an Estate Sale, the time we arrived at the Estate sale and the amount of time we stayed, our new friends who decided to go to breakfast at the Huddle House, the waitress and cooks at the country breakfast restaurant who decided to delay our order, our decision to leave and go to the Huddle House, the rain, the crowd - the list goes on and on. All of the events that lead us to that place, at that time for a purpose we do not know. I am reminded that each day begins in darkness, but the light always appears. That when I cannot figure it out, there are people and decisions already in motion for my next adventure or my next answer. That God always has my back and intends for something good to come of every life's large and small tragedies. And as I sit here writing these thoughts, I am amazed at the multitude of events that are taking place right now in preparation for something great that will happen, maybe today - It's still early.