Sam and I went for it… double pain au chocolat at Tartine Bakery. Truly amazing. Vahlrona chocolate, I’d-rather-not-know-how-much butter and the flakiest pastry I have encountered in my life. The coffees? Divine. We sat at the oversized community table, catching up, tearing into our shared pastry. Then, two lovely strangers momentarily set down their cake box – it had a tres leches cake inside. I clicked the shutter which sparked a delightful exchange between the four of us.

It was a short conversation – they were on their way to celebrate his last day at work with that cake. Those few moments reminded me just how lovely it can be to unexpectedly brush up against someone’s life. My prompt for you as you go through your days… try making eye contact more often… say hello to strangers… smile and brighten their day.

My guess is that it will brighten yours right back.