Living well on a shoestring

Every so often you will have an exceptional day. A day where you arrive home uplifted and happy. Such a day happened to me this week. It all started on the walk to the station. On the way I met a man in a wheelchair. The cast on his leg made me ask whether he broken his leg? It was an ankle reconstruction and being confined to the wheelchair for several months he exercised by wheeling himself up and down the footpath. Wishing him good day I continued walking. Whilst checking the train timetable I was approached to ask if I needed any help. This started a conversation with a man originally from Argentina. With half an hour until the train departed we chatted amiably together before we caught our respective trains. Alighting from the train I set off to walk into the country town I was visiting. I caught up to three people wheeling large suitcases. In greeting them I learnt it was a French couple coming to spend time with their daughter who was on a working holiday. Shortly afterwards leaning against his vehicle I met a man taking a lunch break from work on a construction site across the road. With a big smile he greeted me and in talking to him I learnt he was from Iraqi and how much he loved his life in Australia. On I continued and in the town I spotted a small art gallery. Being an art lover I stepped inside and here I met the exhibition artist and gallery owner. Enjoying the paintings immensely sparked a wonderful conversation about art and painting. What made the day special and so rich were all the impromptu meetings with other people. Actually stopping and engaging in conversation with people stimulated my mind giving me endorphins which lifts one’s mood. It made me realise how important it was to be out and about. If I had stayed home or had travelled by car I would not have met such interesting people. And it didn’t cost anything but my time.