I was walking out of a clothing store in Door County when I saw my mom and an older lady talking on a bench. It was a busy day in Door County; people walking their dogs, cars stopping impatiently to let masses of pedestrians cross at the crosswalks, women with arms of shopping bags. I hesitantly walked over to the bench where my mom and her new friend were talking, because I didn’t want to interrupt their conversation, and I wasn’t looking forward to feeling embarrassed as my mom introduced me. I inched closer and my mom caught a glimpse of me and waved me over, so I smiled reluctantly and made my way to stand next to her. The older lady gave me a warm smile and introduced herself, as she pointed out the flowers across from the bench. As I gazed closely at them, I noticed they looked almost like chandeliers you would see in a fairy’s house; the bright-colored petals were drooping healthily from the stem, swaying with the slight breeze. I was mesmerized by the beauty of these fairy chandeliers, and I couldn’t remember the last time I had stopped to observe flowers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad and my sister stroll out of the store and I knew it was time to move on. My mom rose from the bench, said her goodbyes to her new friend, and walked toward my dad. I waved at the older lady, smiling genuinely this time, and took one last look at the fairy flowers before I headed back to my family.

After this moment, I finally realized how many wonderful little things I might miss every day. Since then, I’ve learned to find small wonders in life; maybe a plant, bird, or a flower, and I take the time, even if it’s just a few seconds, to appreciate it. 

I will never forget the time when a friendly stranger unintentionally taught me a new perspective of looking at life, after I was walking out of an overpriced clothing store in Door County.