Thursday, June 3, 2010

Life is Good

The woman who sells me fish at the local supermarket is remarkable. Despite having lupus and various other ailments, and crippling pain, she is always cheerful, gracious, and upbeat.

When I ask Terry how she is feeling, she invariably smiles and says, "Oh, life is good. Hey, I've got a job. And I get to talk to these nice people."

No matter that to get to work, she must haul herself out of bed at 4 a.m. to get the 5 o'clock bus so she can limp into the store by 6. If she sits down, her ankles swell. She gets through the day on pain killers and, mainly, a radiant personality.

I don't know if Terry is religious or what produces her smile in the face of a tough life, but I consider her saintly. She refuses to focus on the negative and tries to live the daily struggle with grace. She lifts my spirits. Seeing her is the highlight of my shopping experience.

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