A Morning I Almost Missed

This morning started on a whim.

Joe nudged me gently and said, “There’s this little French café downtown I’ve been wanting to try. It’s all women bakers… I thought it might be fun if we just went—now. They open early.”

I blinked. It was barely past sunrise.
“No makeup, no shower,” I said. “You mean… just go?”
He smiled. “Just go.”

And so, I said yes.

We slipped into our clothes, left the house with bed hair and sleepy eyes, and found ourselves downtown as the city was still yawning into its morning. The air was crisp. The windows of the café fogged slightly with warmth from inside. We walked in, the smell of butter, sugar, and espresso wrapping around us like a hug.

I ordered an asparagus quiche, Joe chose something sweet. The place was filled with the clinking of forks and quiet conversations. Something about it all felt like a page out of a storybook.

Then—something happened that will stay with me for a long time.

An older woman, probably in her 80s, walked slowly past our table. Her hands trembled gently, and her posture carried a bit of a stoop. She paused and turned to us.

“I just have to say,” she said, “seeing you two together… it made me think of my husband. I lost him a few years ago. I just miss sitting like that—being together.”
Her voice caught.
Our hearts did too.

Joe and I both held our breath. I felt his hand reach across the table to hold mine. That quiet moment—so unexpected—was like a thread pulling us closer to something sacred.

And then, as if life wanted to add one more touch of sweetness, another woman approached me as we were leaving.
“I just love your sweater,” she smiled. “The little hearts… and those pink shoes. You look adorable!”

Joe chuckled as we stepped outside. “You know, someone always compliments you wherever we go.”
I laughed too. But inside, I felt deeply grateful.

Grateful I said yes this morning.
Grateful for the love I’ve grown into.
Grateful for these reminders that simple, unpolished moments often become the ones we treasure most.

So this is just a little note to say: if the day offers you a whim… take it.
Even without mascara.
Even without a plan.
You never know what beauty is waiting to meet you.