Special Valentine

Let me not pretend that the news of Russia attacking Ukraine is not disturbing. It is. 

So I am very much focused on trying to be good in my own sphere. I stopped in to Whole Foods to pick up lunch (and also some soy milk for Graham since I was there) and was particularly mindful of others while there and went out of my way to be extra courteous.

Driving to work I listened not to the book in Chinese Grand Strategy which is the currently assigned reading for the Steve Meshnick Memorial book group, but to a book of dramatized conversations between Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama that I listen to on occasion when trying to dial it down. It's kind of silly at times, but still there is much wisdom in it.

Somewhere in there I was reminded of how, on Valentine's Day, the young woman who is interning with the company from whom we sublet brought in some little chocolates for each of us in the office. Probably cost $2 a pop, for all four of us. She is a graduate student and an immigrant to our fair land, judging by her accent and her name (I'll leave it off the blog out of general recognition of others' privacy). I had met and spoken to her exactly once before she brought me a gift. Extraordinary.

I noticed that she used some of my half-n-half when we all had coffee one day last week (unlike my coffee snob office mates who drink it black). So I bought more creamer at Whole Foods to be sure we are well-stocked. I also brought enough pecan Kringle from Trader Joe's for her to partake.

This is the spirit.