Divine Coincidence

Lemme tell ya, I had a pretty rotten conversation at work today with one of my bosses, one of those conversations that makes you want to go home, put on your pajamas, and watch reruns of "Who's the Boss" while consuming large amounts of mint chocolate-chip ice cream. It left me feeling deflated and discouraged for the rest of the day.

On the way home, I crept and crawled along the highway with the thousands of other commuters, finally exiting at the first possible chance to take an alternate route home (after I'd already been sitting in traffic for nearly an hour, which is many times longer than it should have taken me to go that distance, even during rush hour). Then I spontaneously decided to make a stop at DSW Shoe Warehouse to get a gift card for a family member who's birthday is approaching. (You know already that this is what I'm going to get you, so I don't think I'm ruining the surprise by mentioning it here.) Not long after, I spontaneously decided to take a different route to DSW than I normally would have, resulting in more slow traffic on a normally free-flowing road.

When I got to DSW, feeling worn down, I thought that since I was there, I might as well look at shoes, even though I don't particularly need another pair right now (especially since I haven't been able to wear anything since sandals since breaking my baby toe about a month ago--subject of previous entry). I circulated among the women's dress shoes a bit, tried a couple of them on, continued browsing.

I was just putting a shoe back on the shelf when I noticed someone on the other side of the bank of shoes--the roommate of a friend, whom I have seen on several occasions but nevertheless don't know very well. I felt certain she hadn't seen me and debated whether to speak to her. After all, I was tired and melancholy, probably not the best company. Then I realized how silly it would be not to talk to her, so I called her name and said hello.

We ended up talking for quite awhile. I (spontaneously) started telling her about my day and the rotten conversation. She listened attentively, I told her some more, she commiserated, we laughed, she told me some of her work woes, we joked about shoe therapy and the dual benefit of talking things through with a friend while also looking at shoes.

In the midst of this talking and shopping, I suddenly realized that I felt better. I felt lighter, calmer, comforted. Endorphins had been released and clouds lifted. It was the same feeling I have after a long journal-writing session (writing is a tremendous form of stress-relief) or a good cry or a hard cardio session when I'm angry. The combination of conversation with a sympathetic friend and shoe therapy had worked! (And I convinced her to try on a totally hot pair of pointy-toed black patent leather shoes that she ended up getting. Score!)

I don't think that it was a coincidence that we were both at DSW at the same time tonight, standing just one aisle apart at that exact moment. I had all kinds of crazy delays getting there and hadn't planned to go there in the first place, and she hadn't ever been to a DSW before. Running into her there was to me a divine coincidence, what my friend Jenny would call a tender mercy. Thank you, Lord, for those tender mercies. I needed this one tonight.