It was only a shoestring

Last week I bought new beds for two of our bedrooms. Since we was moving furniture around, I took the oppurtunity to clean closets as well. One of the closets was full of craft supplies and long forgotten projects. All this was piled into my sewing room and overflowing into the hall. For some reason I can mess up the entire house while cleaning out one closet. Anyway, my intentions were to have everything straightened up on Monday. Didn't happen. I worked a few hours Monday and didn't make much progress. Tuesday and Wednesday it seemed every little errand took hours and by Wednesday afternoon I was feeling the self imposed pressure of not accomplishing anything but standing in lines at stores or fighting traffic or driving 40 miles to purchase one item. Wednesday evening I was standing in line at Walmart. There weren't enough checkers and all lines had nearly a dozen people waiting. I felt the need to get checked out and on my way. After all I had a messy house, supper to cook and was getting nowhere fast. Then I noticed a stressed woman hurrying around looking for something.(me in motion)!! She passed by me a couple of times when I noticed one of her shoes was untied. When she slowed down long enough for me to get her attention I told her about the untied shoe. She mumbled something and tied her shoe. I could tell she was a bit embarrassed. After she tied her shoe she stood up and looked off for a minute, then came over to me, hesitated, then smiled and thanked me for telling her. Not just once but several times. When she smiled she looked so different. She went about her shopping but did not seem the same person. I have thought about that woman a lot. What a difference in such a short time. Her untied shoelace caused her to slow down and smile.
I remember a poem my aunt Sadie had me memorize when I was a pre-teen.
"Said the robin to the sparrow
I would surely like to know
Why the restless human beings rush around and worry so.
Said the sparrow to the robin
I think that it must be
That they have no heavenly father
Such as cares for you and me."
The shoesting incident reminded me:
We are on this earth such a short time. Life is as a vapor. I was reminded to enjoy the moments I have wherever I am and whatever I am doing. It is easy to forget all the wonderful things and people in my life. What is the big deal? How can standing in line or clutter in the sewing room be that bad? I should be and am grateful I have the means to buy the items in my cart, legs to support me as I stand in line, feet to get me there, a vehicle to get me home, good roads to my door and time and energy to clean my messy house.
Life changes when we stop and smile and become aware of all the love and blessings in our lives. Sometimes it takes a loose shoestring to slow us down and remind us how much better life can be when we smile.