Jamie was not having a good day. She woke up late, tripped getting out of bed, now has a big red mark on her forehead because of it, didn't have time for a shower, forgot to do laundry over the weekend, and her coffee machine broke.

She started the drive to her community college where she encountered three semi-trucks on the ramp on to the expressway, a semi-truck coming up behind her, and drivers who didn't understand the speed limit law.

Jamie finally got into the parking lot where she needs to be and couldn't find a parking spot.

Once she found a parking spot, she parked and all but rushed into the school.

Jamie was busy looking at the doors and didn't notice the person in the wheelchair on her right sitting underneath a tree until she was asked a question.

Jamie easily gets cold so she wears sweaters when in class, though she often wears then from her house, in the car, and into the building and vice verse after class is over.

So when she was asked a simple question about how she was cold, Jamie found herself having a twenty-minute conversation with the woman in the wheelchair.

Jamie, at the end of the talk, found out her name was Karen. It was crazy how one simple conversation could light up Jamie's world.

She can't imagine what Karen felt coming out of the conversation, but all Jamie knows is that her day became brighter.

Until by the end of the day, Jamie's shirt was ripped by the broken pieces of the front light of her family's big van. One of her favorites too.

'What a fun day!' Jamie thought.

Though she was thankful to be alive as anything could have happened to her at any point in the day.

Two days later, Jamie comes across the same student from two days prior was rolling into the building, declining the offer to keep the door open.

That's true strength.

If you think you are going through a bad day, remember you aren't alone in this world. Someone else could be going through worse...

10/8/18