tearing out my heart...i'd be your memory

I went to Jamba Juice this morning.

While a huge break from my regular routine of running frantically out the door and racing to work to make it in at 10:01 (I was here at 9:55 today, even with the Jamba!) ...this is not my story.

As I was leaving the parking lot, I looked up and the car in front of mine was a gold Toyota Avalon.

It wasn't anything to stop me in my tracks, but it did make me think about how the tiniest thing can conjure up a memory you weren't aware was still in your subconscious.

Once upon a time while home on break from BYU, I made a flippant remark to my mother about how I wanted a cute boy in my home ward to ask me out. As we sat down to watch a movie she giggled and said, 'maybe he will.' No joking, within the hour he called to ask me out (an unheard of occurrence in my life). The next day, into my driveway pulled a beautiful, gold, Toyota Avalon. And while things didn't work out between me and that boy (he's now married with a gorgeous baby boy). And yet, still, nearly five years later, my subconscious remembers him in connection with that car. The littlest things can prompt the best/tenderest/funniest/most random memories.

This, for me, is a tender mercy.

I love when moments like this happen.

There's a whole list of things that always make me think of particular people or of certain moments. Just thinking about it makes me smile. Things from Bleeding Love to coconut creme pie to Elf to climbing fences to slurpees...and EVEN jamba juice...all make my heart so happy.