Feeling very fortunate...
I just got some very upsetting, potentially life-altering news. (That's not the uplifting part, keep reading.) I needed to make some international phone calls, but (long story short) for that I had to go all the way downtown to use Skype at an internet cafe. Since I was too shaken up to even walk to the metro station, I caught a taxi. The driver noticed I was trying to keep from crying and asked what was wrong. I don't normally dump all my worldly problems on taxi drivers, but man was I glad he asked. Taxi drivers and bar tenders: the world's most underpaid psychiatrists.
Then when I made the phone call at the internet cafe, of course everyone around me could hear. As I was leaving, the cashier wished me good luck with everything.
After that, I thought I was calm enough to take the metro back home, but I wasn't. When I stopped to rest somewhere, a stopped taxi driver noticed me (I must have looked like heck) and asked if I'd like to sit in his car or if I needed a ride to the hospital (!). He was even going to take me home for free.
Anyway, he picked up another fare, a young couple who also noticed I looked pretty upset. The lady kindly listened while I explained everything and gave me a valerian tablet, too.
I was just so grateful for everyone who took the time to be kind to me. I live alone and don't know many people locally, so I really had no one to talk things over with. It's always been my personal policy not to just walk past someone who looks like they're in trouble. Sometimes all a person needs is to connect with another human being for a moment. That and you might meet interesting people. I found a stranded foreign tourist that way once.
So that's my happy story for today. Still got problems, but I feel less alone.
Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.
Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path