I woke up this morning with pins and needles down my legs and made yet another leap in my recovery process. I just know that I can't lie around any longer even though I have been more active since the?vertebral?disk first ruptured. My body is begging for normality and I know it's not things like getting back to gym or spending hours writing. It's other things like seeing friends, hugging my nephews and going to my favourite hangouts.
One of those hangouts is Greggie and my?traditional?Monday afternoon lunch at the Mugg & Bean in the Norwood Mall. We have been going there for as long as we have been breathing life into Lifeology and somehow the hospitality and amazing food made us regular customers.
Today blew me away though. I have battled a little with the realisation that people are busy and that many of my friends have not checked on me or come to visit me in the 5 weeks that I have been healing. My welcome back to Mugg & Bean made up for all of that. Wow ...
Firstly, this restaurant gets something so right because the staff have been there for so long that we have been served by every waiter. We are also personally greeted like old friends by the managers and I have missed my weekly lunch so much. I even asked Greggie to go to the restaurant a few weeks back and let everyone know that we hadn't gone far but I was sick and couldn't go out for a while.
The greeting I got touched me and reminded me of the special bonds that are sometime formed while no one is looking. Staff rushed to me with hugs and handshakes and everyone wanting to know how my recovery was going. Waiters were waving from all corners of the shop and I felt like I was home again. For the first time in weeks I felt normal.
I already have difficulty deciding what to eat because I'm Libra and a girl, but because I have been craving so many dishes it was chaos. Their breakfast bagel had the final say and it was well worth the wait.
Without having to express it, I could feel that Greggie needed the normality as much as I did. My back didn't fair as well as I thought it would so I struggled a little through lunch ... sorry Greggie ... but it was so healing to be surrounded by people and food that touch the soul.
To Barbara, Allen and the team of Mugg & Bean, I thank you for the warm welcome back and for the special gesture you made in trying to send flowers to me while I was recovering. Medicine does one thing but the warmth of another person's hug or smile has made me feel healthier than I have felt in ages. You are an incredible team and have become a special part of Greggie and my life. Our Monday meetings that deal with all the work issues are always followed by your warm hospitality and brilliant food.
Of all the thank yous it's for spoiling me with a huge bowl of ice cream today!
See you next Monday ... same time, same place!
I think we so rarely realise just what kind of a void we leave when we're no longer where we're expected (often needed) to be. Guess we just need to be reminded that we matter even in the smallest of circumstances because it's so easy to forget. 😀
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