Odds and Ends

I was riding home on the subway tonight with an unusual number of tourists instead of the normal bleary-eyed commuters. It was actually quite enjoyable. Instead of the normally subdued environment one experiences during the nightly commute (lots of newspapers and cell phone conversations), there was excitement in the air. One of the families sitting nearby was talking about what they had seen that day. Mom was gushing about the cleanliness of the subway system and how easy it was to use. Dad and his teenage son had really enjoyed the Air & Space Museum. One of the younger kids was trying to decide which museum was the "best". I think he decided on the paddle boats at the Tidal Basin or the big spider {grin}. I knew exactly what spider he meant, so I came home and dug out the picture to put with this post! Anyway, the kids were wound up like a drum and you could just tell they had a great time. No video games, no cell phones, no sullen teenagers. Just a family enjoying spending time together and reliving the experiences of the day.

It also reminded me how contagious a positive attitude can be. By the end of the ride, the locals were awake and chatting with the tourists, giving them suggestions on what else to see in DC, and actually enjoying the ride home.

There is a great deal we cannot control in our life, but we can certainly make it better for ourselves and the people around us........