We arrived safely back into Half Moon Bay with 100 miles in our legs, and salt and goofy grins all over our faces. I was starving, my mouth salivating in anticipation of enjoying the Olive Walnut bread/hummus sandwich at San Benito Deli. We sat down, exhausted and anxious to get some real food into our stomachs. I was getting ready to take a huge bite of my sandwich when everything came to a screeching halt.
There was mayonnaise layered on both sides of the bread.
I don't do mayo.
I shot J a desperate look, not wanting to be a prima donna, but also knowing that I couldn't eat this if it had mayo all over it, and I was thisclose to entering the 'hangry' state.
I sauntered back into the deli, knowing it was my fault for not specifying 'no mayo' but also secretly hoping for a miracle. The woman behind the counter looked at me with tired but kind eyes as she listened to my request. She took my sandwich, made me a brand-new one, and even wrapped up the old one, placed it in a bag, and instructed me to "give it someone who might enjoy it." She didn't charge me for my new sandwich. Instead her response was, "You've just ridden 100 miles and you deserve a good meal." It made my day how someone could be so kind to me.
We were about to leave, and my heart was overflowing with gratitude for the exceptional woman who served me up with much more than a hummus sandwich that afternoon. She served me grace. I walked up to her as she was cleaning the deli, and handed her a tip as a small token of my gratitude. She refused it at first. She hugged me instead. Then she started to cry.
It turns out that the day before she had experienced some deep pain caused by a friend. And it was in this absolute place of isolation and pain that she needed to feel love. "Your timing was so perfect today. This was exactly what I needed," she replied. No, it was exactly what we needed. I realized she had the power to change the entire ending of my day if she had reacted negatively to my request. But instead, she chose compassion. She chose grace. And grace is a circular blessing.
In fact, the whole day felt very much like grace. Grace being the unexpected blessings, the unearned bounty. The kind of blessing that comes whether we work for it, or deserve it, or ask for it, or pay for it, or not.
There's Big Grace- the kind that involves a cross and unconditional love.
But there's also everyday grace- the kind that's found in smiling at the stranger standing in line next to you at the grocery store.
The kind that's found in letting another car merge in front of you during rush-hour traffic on a Monday.
The kind that's found in the small air pocket tucked behind a friend's wheel to protect you from the headwinds of life.
The kind that's found in hummus sandwiches without mayo.
The choice is ours. We all have the opportunity to choose in each interaction, in each moment, in each breath.
Will you choose grace?
Update: Today I received a thank you email from Marie. If you visit Half Moon Bay, drop by the San Benito Deli and give Marie a huge hug. And order the hummus sandwich on olive walnut bread...just specify no mayo.... ;)
