30 Days of Joy: When the Stars Align

Note: This article is the next step in my challenge to find joy in something — anything — every day for 30 days. Today’s entry is part 26.

Over the last couple months, I’ve written repeatedly about my attempts at finding joy in the small things. (Here and here, for example.)

It’s been a challenge at which I’ve repeatedly failed.

But yesterday, I succeeded. And today, I’d like to celebrate that success.

I was about to turn onto our street when my wife called to tell me to turn around. There’d been an incident with the ground turkey that was supposed to be our turkey burgers, and it was now no longer edible.

If I wanted to eat dinner, I had to go to the store.

While there’s a grocery within about three minutes of our house, it’s not where I go when I’m in need of groceries. It’s convenient getting there, but it’s not convenient getting out.

I don’t know what their criteria are for hiring checkers, but “Scanning speed” and “Desire to keep the checkout line from extending back within earshot of the milk section” are not among them.

So I take my business elsewhere when possible.

But last night, I had a simple, one-item mission. And it felt like the reward exceeded the risk.

Still, pulling into the parking lot I was hesitant. I’d come to this store confident before, only to have it blow up in my face.

But it didn’t this time.

From the moment I stepped inside those sliding doors, I barely broke stride. I walked directly to the meat section, grabbed the ground turkey, found a deserted checkout line, scanned my credit card and was out the door.

It was glorious, like those rare instances when you hit a series of consecutive green lights. There’s a flow, a freedom, a sense that the stars are aligned, even if only for a moment.

The only drawback, which just dawned on me, could be if I allow this lone synchronicity to falsely restore my confidence in this grocery.

Yes, I am grateful for last night’s victory. And I am even more grateful for my recognition of it.

But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

The goal here is to become more joyful, not more gullible.

*****

This originally appeared on 100 Naked Words.