What makes one day stand out from another? What makes one day better than another? Winning lotto would stand out for me as a day or night to remember. However, having the numbers on my lotto ticket correspond to the balls rolled out on a Saturday or Wednesday night has not happened. Yet.
So does that mean all our days are the same?
Everyone has routines and we are no different. There is a sameness in how our days are started and how they continue. Sometimes unfortunate things happen, like having a helicopter land next to you on the gravel in the camp and having a window open, but generally our caravan days are not fraught.
But there are days more enjoyable than others depending on the interactions or small talks we have. Small talks are important. Talking the small talk is a learned skill and we are both getting better at it. Saying “hello” as I enter the shower room is polite, but if I ask which is a good shower, to the ladies present, the question can lead to a few moments of friendly chatter. This friendly chatter is pleasant. It is the little things, like friendly chatter with people at the supermarket or waiting for a bus that gives a lift to my day.
There are many small kindnesses that help also. The bus driver who went back around the block to give my husband his hockey stick he had inadvertently left by his seat was one.
The guy at the Ford dealership fixing our ute today ran Peter back to the camp, chatting all the way. That small talk is part of business I know. But the friendly chatter gave Peter a lift and made him feel the ute was in good hands.
I’m also an habitual small talk initiator. I think we got it from Mum. I see passers-by at work as an opportunity to pause in what I’m doing for a minute to chat, and it often leads to a conversation about their own trees and gardens, which can then lead to more work.