Awesome Day!

I follow a couple of art challenges on Facebook, one I've been following for over 3 years and a couple of others for just over 2 years. The one I've been following the longest is Colour Me Positive, run out of Queenland in Australia. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1712426162335330/?fref=nf)

This week's quote is "Have an awesome day! And if that doesn't work, try again tomorrow", and as I have done for a couple of other challenges this year, I am responding by doing a blog entry. My blog was dormant for a long time until this year, when I have done several posts in response to various art challenges, lessons and experiences.

Today's experience definitely comes under awesome. It started out as a visit to Dandenong Market with my sister-in-law (Cheryl) so that she could buy some small Australian souvenirs to take with her in June when she embarks on a European tour. Cheryl is so excited about this trip - her first overseas trip, if you dismiss the cruise to New Caledonia a couple of years ago.

This is a long held dream for Cheryl and she is very brave to go off on her own (leaving hubby at home) to join an organised tour hitting all the hotshots. After that, her younger son is joining her to tour around France where he has numerous friends, having played his guitar at music festivals every European summer for a number of years.

Anyway, that's why she wanted some small souvenirs to give as gifts to friends, family & anyone else who helps them out.

Souvenirs purchased, we stopped at a Turkish Cafe she knows for coffee and a snack. As Cheryl paid, the Cafe lady asked her to help another customer which Cheryl did quite willingly. When this other lady went to sit down with her food, Cheryl invited her to join us.

Nina, is from Taiwan and has been in Australia for three years. We found out lots of things about her because my sister-in-law asked and was interested in the answers. Nina is learning to drive, her son lives near us, her husband passed away, her son sponsored her to come to Australia, and she is learning to like all the different cultures and loves all the shops.

Nina told us that she also met someone the last time she bought coffee at this Cafe. So the awesome part of our day was making a new friend, even though we may never see her again. I hope Nina enjoyed meeting us.

Nina commented that Cheryl really listened to her and tried hard to understand what she was saying. That's pretty awesome too - it's not a skill many of us have - too busy on our phones or just not prepared to give people the time of day. This skill is one Cheryl has always had, but it has been honed over the years with her work in aged care, particularly with dementia patients.

Cheryl is now retired, but the skill is being put to AWESOME use making friends with all sort of people in all sorts of places - and won't she have an awesome time on her travels talking to all and sundry!!