Yesterday was full of interesting diversions that made it quite the unique start to the month of May. It began with me crippling my shoulders trying to carry a ton of fliers and ended with a compliment from a stranger…
Who knew paper could be so heavy! It’s so thin and unintimidating on it’s own but allow the paper to unite in large groups and suddenly you have welts on your shoulders and a ceased neck. My morning began with a trip into our old office to pick up some fliers from the store cupboard. I hadn’t really thought ahead (it being pre-9am and all) and found the previously short and sunny walk to my house a never-ending gauntlet of pain and discomfort.
I was doing that “Just make it to that wall, don’t stop, don’t sit down, this is all a mental battle” pep talk but it wasn’t really working. About half way home a thought entered my mind that stopped my grumbling. I was carrying maybe 5-10 Kg on my back and was grumbling at walking half a mile. How heavy was Jesus cross and how long did he have to carry it with open wounds and exhaustion from torture.
The rest of my walk became a rather humbling meditation on the walk of Christ and His immortal request to pick up my cross and follow him. My temporary discomfort was nothing in comparison, but my grumbling was revealing of how blessed I am that I have not yet been asked to carry anything heavier.
The rest of my diversions were not quite so impacting but rather entertaining. I met a quite lovely young lady called Lucy who came to Guildford to help us contact all our lovely supporters. I had to laugh, as she was even worse than I am at inadvertently blurting out miss-construable sentences.
“When did you decide you were a woman?” was her first to me, and…
“Do you automatically get less funny when you become a Dad?” to Pete.
I belly laughed, always a refreshing experience and really enjoyed getting to know a very sweet, intelligent and hard working lady.
My late evening journey home finished the day well. Succumbing to my hunger and the lure of those Golden Arches (sadly it happens sometimes) I was sitting on a platform, munching my Big Mac and waiting for my carriage to arrive and whisk me home to husband when I caught sight of a man with white spiked hair weaving his way towards me. He stopped, looked at my Big Mac and said…
“Can I have a bite?”
I looked from him to my Big Mac and back again a little bemused by this very un-British question and replied…
“Er… it’s my dinner", smiling sheepishly.
On reflection, Jesus would probably have just given him the Big Mac but my brain was a little sluggish and I am not as adept as my Lord at battling my stomach. To my delighted surprise the man broke into a wide smile and said…
“That’s ok I was only joking… do you know you are very beautiful.”
Several people were staring at this strange interchange now as I replied rather embarrassed…
“Er… cheers, that very kind of you.”
“Do you believe in God?” was his next question, I looked up smiling and replied…
“Actually, I do!”
We grinned for a moment and he bade me goodnight. I returned home to Steve grinning all the way. I love random encounters with strangers; they brake monotony and make you appreciate what you’re experiencing. It’s enough encouragement to continue my heads up and smiling policy whenever I’m commuting, it’s quite frankly unnatural to be crammed into so small a space taking such pains to pretend we are unaware of each other.