Hey there , I think it's fair to say that most people who know me will consider me a person who sees the cup half full , someone who is able to find the best in a situation or even make lemonade out of lemons , and it's nice , I suppose , to imagine that people see me that way , the veritable positive person , the one who can handle things because nothing seems to bother her . I'm a life coach , after all , aren't I supposed to be ? Above all that ? And maybe from another's perspective , that appears to be true , but I can assure you that at any given moment , there are a myriad of bothersome things of all shapes and sizes vying for my attention , from a nagging cough that won't go away after six weeks , to a stressful situation that remains unresolved after four months . The buzzsaw out my window as I write this now , or the fact that nothing was open yet yesterday morning when I arrived on Church Street bright and early to do some Christmas shopping . Being bothered is always available to us , but you know what ? So is delight . It's way easier to default to irritation , but the less traveled path to delight is always just around the corner , and just around the corner is exactly where I found it early yesterday morning while I was waiting for the shops to open .
Lisa HopkinsIt had been close to 17 years since I last and first visited Henry's Diner , although when I sat down on the barstool at the counter , I told the waitress it had been about 100 years . I joked partly because it felt so long , but mostly because I felt the need to call myself out , before someone else did , as the only non-regular in what clearly was a local haunt . The amazing and delightful thing , though , was that the waitress didn't skip a beat and said well then , you've been with us from the very beginning , handing me the bright yellow menu which proudly had established in 19 , written across the front . I smiled at the waitress and felt glad that I had changed my mind and chose to sit at the counter rather than the booth , which I nearly did , because it seemed safer and more anonymous there . I didn't open the menu right away . Savoring the moment and taking in the scene , I took off my jacket and gloves and then twisted around on my stool , charmed by the school bus , yellow banquette seats and the animated faces of the daily diners . It was snowing quite heavily outside the window now , and I felt cozy and warm as I spun back around to choose my breakfast cozy and warm .
Lisa HopkinsAs I spun back around to choose my breakfast , the short order cook was masterfully slicing and dicing masses of potatoes and spreading them across the griddle to make home fries , all the while happily chattering with the waitresses who stood by waiting for their orders . I wasn't particularly hungry but knew that having a cup of coffee in a diner mug at the counter was the quintessential experience that I wanted to have . I was proud of myself for refraining from asking if they made specialty coffees . Breakfast was delicious and when it was time to go I asked the waitress for a refill in a to-go cup , and she tucked my check under the sugar jar and said no hurry . I appreciated the reminder to slow down and took my time putting on my coat and gloves . I thanked her and gave her a generous tip , wishing her a joyous holiday season .
Lisa HopkinsYou know it might have been easy for me in that moment to feel a little sad , actually , as I've been bothered lately by something that makes accessing joy a little more difficult for me right now , especially at the holiday season . Remember how I said , that being bothered is always available to us , but the less traveled path to delight is always just around the corner traveled path to delight is always just around the corner . I stepped out into the snowy scene and could see that the lights were on in the shops now , but rather than going in right away to start my shopping , I sipped my coffee as I wandered the cobblestone blocks and looked at the Christmas tree at the top of the marketplace . Holiday carols were piping through the garlanded street and I smiled as I passed the bookstore which had my book on the shelf inside .
Lisa HopkinsJust then , I saw an elderly , homeless woman huddled against a building trying to stay warm . Without thinking , I offered her my cup of coffee , which was now half empty , or was it ? She smiled with thanks and gratefully took it from me . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . Stay safe and healthy everyone . Have a joyous holiday season and remember to live in the moment .