![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nosmallthing.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/WIPER-REPLACEMENT-225x300.jpg\")
Ah, winter in the Midwest.<\/p>\nAh, winter in the Midwest.<\/p>\n
Last week, just when I was contemplating our good fortune at having relatively mild temps and negligible snow accumulation, we welcomed a \u201cwintery mix,\u201d as the TV weather lady might say, a mixture of snow and rain.\u00a0 This, of course, provided me with a good reason to stay inside for a couple days and binge watch TV.<\/p>\n
When I did decide to venture out into the world, and ease my car through the alley and into the street, I knew I had to give myself extra time to scrape and brush my car.<\/p>\n
#*@%!\u00a0 When I tried to lift my passenger side windshield wiper to clean the surface, it wouldn\u2019t budge. It was frozen to the surface.<\/p>\n
After some scraping, I got the wiper blade free, but it was no longer operational. Like a dangling arm after incurring a dislocated shoulder, the blade just flopped around when the mechanism was engaged.<\/p>\n
I needed a replacement blade. This mission went to the top of my to-do list. My protective inner voice told me not to wait until it snowed or rained again.<\/p>\n
The first place I went to didn\u2019t have the right size. The next day, which was sunny (thankfully), I headed to a nearby Auto Zone store and told the clerk the make and model of my car.<\/p>\n
He walked me to the appropriate aisle and told me some of my options. Not exactly because I thought the driver\u2019s side wiper would get jealous, I still felt strongly that these kinds of parts wear out at the same time and decided to get new blades for both sides.<\/p>\n
When I followed the clerk back to the register, fumbled to get the right side of my credit card into the reader, and was presented with a gallon of orange colored wiper fluid on the house, I watched the clerk reach for his jacket, my still packaged purchases in his hand. He headed towards the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are you parked?\u201d he asked without expression.<\/p>\n
There were only two cars in the customer parking lot at the time.<\/p>\n
I blinked then led the way<\/p>\n
Was he going to help me put on my new blades? <\/em>\u00a0My mind was already thinking about how I would get this done. Maybe not overly complicated, still the task was not in my repertoire.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t even have to ask<\/em>. I smiled.<\/p>\n I watched him get the passenger\u2019s side blade on easily. Then he excused himself while he retreated into the store to get a screwdriver, which, apparently, he needed to get the longer blade, for the driver\u2019s side, securely in place.<\/p>\n In the minute that he was not in the lot with me, I fumbled through my purse to find a five-spot to offer for his troubles.<\/p>\n I was so delighted.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure why exactly.<\/p>\n Yes, I was pleased with myself that I took care of a small concern before it became a big problem.<\/p>\n Yes, I was happy that I got what I needed in a timely way (and got free wiper fluid, too).<\/p>\n But, I was especially happy \u2013 and incredibly grateful \u2013 to get the help I needed without having to ask. To me, it\u2019s a special feeling of being in the flow of life when something comes to me at the perfect time.<\/p>\n I had no expectations of receiving such treatment.<\/p>\n Knowing that the best way to be delighted with gestures and outcomes that might surpass expectations is to have NO EXPECTATIONS is no small thing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ah, winter in the Midwest. Last week, just when I was contemplating our good fortune…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4852,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","grateful-dozen-noticing-small-things","grateful-dozen-surprise"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n