Yesterday I had an appointment away from the house, and having dispatched that, I dawdled some time away doing a quick
Ingress mission, which I'm happy to report was successful, if uneventful.
Afterward, it being late in the afternoon and my not having lunched, I decided to meander over to Torchy's Tacos at Mueller, which would also allow me proximity to the HEB so I could pick up a half gallon of chocolate milk. At Torchy's, I ordered the migas on corn tortillas. The meal was pleasant, if a tad on the cold side having arrived a bit late. I enjoyed the patio dining, the day being hot and breezy.
The group at the table next to me finished and left, and did nothing to clean up after themselves. Me, being downwind, soon found their napkins and trash blowing in my direction. This caused me to hurry the end of my meal somewhat, as I now needed to control their appurtenances as well as my own (I can't stand litter). As I was organizing their leftover papers and baskets and glasses, a manager (I believe) hurried to assist me. In fact he took over and finished up, and we thanked each other.
I then set out across the parking lot to secure my chocolate milk (my usual breakfast) for the next few days, only to discover they were sold out. The disappointment of this, after having planned my route and meal around it, was entirely manageable.
On the way back to the car, I was ready to cross the street, but paused for an approaching vehicle. Instead, they stopped and waved me across.
From there, I navigated my way to the northbound frontage road of IH-35. Traffic was heavy, but the driver of a car let me into my needed lane. I waved in gratitude.
Coming up to speed alongside the long line of traffic waiting to take the flyover on 183, a car suddenly left the line and cut in aggressively, directly in front of me. I braked, and kept us both out of an accident.
I made it home without further incident, safely and calm despite the hostility and carelessness of strangers, and because of the kind attentiveness of strangers, and because of my own ongoing adjustments.
Our reality is made up infinitely more of the things that do not happen. Much of the path and practice of mastery is in trivialities, and the small effort required to keep them that way.
The momentous and monumental are what attract our attention, and which we deem noteworthy. Yet the myriad invisible non-events are no less salutary.
I wish you a pleasant day, and I urge you to be pleasant in your day, and in the days of others.
2015.07.03
Ross Robertson
Still Point Aikido Systems
Honmatsu Aikido
Austin TX, USA
www.stillpointaikido.com
www.rariora.org/writing/articles
@phospheros
