Grace, apparently, is no easy thing for me to notice as it is happening. I have spent this past week becoming aware of the little things people do to make life easier for others after the fact, when the moment is gone and offering them a card of thanks is no longer an option. And yet, I seemed well aware of every person who through their words and actions made daily life just a little bit harder for others. I don't think I am the only one who struggles to see everyday goodness.

It became apparent this week that negative emotions and behavior spreads more quickly than joy or peace. I saw several examples of one person's bad mood ruining a group but no example of a simple kindness creating a wellspring of goodwill. Is this a part of the human condition? Are we wired to be aware of potential threats to protect us from the myriad dangers of the world? Or is this a societal problem? Perhaps each of us is just as capable of tuning in to the good things in life but have made the collective choice to focus on the bad.

As for my progress on giving out my cute little cards, I gave one to the awesome guy who helped me put together a new computer that perfectly met my needs while staying under budget, one to a friend who is really good to all of his friends, and failed to give one to a woman at work who brought up a problem early on before it became a big deal. I am not comfortable giving things to strangers. Oh, and I have one waiting for my husband. He was super sweet yesterday when I was feeling blue.