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Ozzy and the buddhist monk
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​ Last Spring, I got my oil changed and they told me my battery was failing. Trying to save money, I picked one up at the auto parts store instead of the dealership. Then at my recent oil change? “Your battery’s failing again.” 🤦‍♀️ Impossible, I thought. It’s brand new. So I went back to the store and asked the guy to test it. He looked annoyed to leave the air conditioning and check a battery in the Florida heat. But as we stepped outside, his phone rang. It was Black Sabbath’s War Pigs. “Yeah,” I said, “What a huge loss we’ve had.” He replied, “Funny story… I live with a Buddhist monk.” (This was a surprising turn ...) The monk had noticed he seemed sad the week before. When the guy told him a rock legend had died, the monk replied, “Oh yes, Ozzy Osbourne!” “How do you know who Ozzy is?” he asked. “We listened to him back in Vietnam,” the monk said. I came in for a battery check and left with a story about Vietnamese teenage monks listening to Black Sabbath. How can you not smile at that? It’s so easy to rush through our days—worried about what’s next, or stuck on something that already happened. It would’ve been easy not to notice the ringtone, or what it said about this man. But I’m so glad I did. Lately I’ve been making an effort to spark more of these tiny moments, because I recently learned that small interactions with strangers improves your mood and happiness. I even (mostly) gave up self-checkout at the grocery store so I have more of a chance to interact. I’ve already got a few good stories from there too. And I always leave in a better mood. So talk to the people who bag your groceries, change your battery, or make your coffee. You never know what story might be waiting for you. In Joy, Nyssa P.S. Got a small moment that made you smile lately? I’d love to hear it—just hit reply. Upcoming Availability:Tuesday, August 26th 10/10:30am 3pm-5pm ​ 12/12:30pm 4pm-5pm ​ ​Thursday, August 28th 10am (60 min only) ​
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Nyssa Hanger
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