Last week, I genuinely wondered if paying the bills was worth the drama.
The Week From Hell
The magic of two holidays quickly faded last week – it was not a smooth landing back into the world of work with one thing after another. I often joke that I have the one business that pays the bills, and the other business I love – but I did get to the point last week where I wondered whether or not the need to pay bills was really worth all the drama.
The week didn’t improve. Those big negatives seemed to seep into almost every corner of my life – or that is how it felt. The Small People tag-teamed early morning wake ups, there was little time to sort the laundry so I ran out of pants**, those eye-watering nursery fees landed, my hair looked half decent and so obviously rained, I forgot my AirPods on the one day I needed them.
Yes, it really was one of those weeks.
The Thursday Meltdown
And so it continued to Thursday where it really hit its peak:
- The Small People were favouring the word ‘no‘ and I didn’t get out the door as early as I would have liked.
- The AirPods? Left behind again.
- My SWR App for train tickets decided not to work with the intermittent 5G in the area chose that very morning to play-up.
- The ticket machines seemed to be running on dial-up like the early ’00ies
- I dashed to the platform, the light was still green on the door – but the door did not open as they locked the fraction of the second before my finger hit.
F.M.L
Now I was late. Or even more late. I did manage to grab a cup of tea and stood quietly on the platform contemplating why the world hates me and trying to ignore the Inner Nag that I should have just left the house earlier – although that would have involved ignoring the Small People and so this was no-win territory without a doubt.
The next train arrives (thankfully on time) but it is standing room only. With a mood already as low as my granny Skecher flats, this just topped it all. Part of me longed for the train to wobble enough that some of my tea spilled on one of the lucky few that were seated. Even first class was full. And I didn’t even have my AirPods to plug myself in to the latest The Trial of Erin Patterson episode. Yes, I know – I should have brought my Kindle (I do love my Paperwhite), but that was hardly top of my list last week.
An Unexpected Light
Then something odd happened.
Someone got up in First Class and… moved into Standard. Not that I could grab their seat (I only had a standard ticket and now my way forward was totally blocked!). Why on earth would anyone voluntarily leave a First Class seat to stand in a packed carriage all the way to London?
That question must have been obvious across my face – even with sunglasses squarely positioned. The answer? Apparently, someone else was having a week as bad as me – and had left to escape loud, negative chatter from someone nearby in the exclusive First.
Initially, we shared just a few words and that is how I learned a bad-week-world-hates-me-kindred-spirit had – literally – landed right in front of me.
What was truly lovely was apart from exchanging that we had both had a terrible run of luck in life recently, we did not dive into the heavy stuff. Instead – we talked about life, moves, families, the magic of children, ‘one and done’ or do you expand with a second, and so many things that bring joy. All whilst stood in the middle of the aisle of an overcrowded train all the way to London.
Just 32 minutes stood in the aisle of an overcrowded train. And yet somehow, that light conversation made the week feel less heavy.
When we unfolded onto the platform and went our separate ways, my step was lighter and the black thundercloud that had been following me had shifted to a much softer grey.
I could have had my AirPods in. Or, I could have been engrossed in a book. The doors could even have opened on the earlier train, or I could have got a seat and sat silently with my laptop open. All of those small things could have happened but none of them would have brought about the warmth and light-hearted but life-affirming conversation shared in those 32 minutes.
Being “unplugged” brought me a little bit of magic. And no one connected to me has (yet) been poisoned by death-cap mushrooms
** No, I will not apologise for the overshare!
💬 Your Turn
Have you ever had a moment where a stranger unexpectedly brightened your day?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Sarahnity Travels 