I’ve had quite the evening! It started with a Krispy Kreme run with my roommate, to whom I mentioned that I wanted to start advertising my services to local hotels (His reply: Aren’t YOU smart!). When we got home, I took it as a sign in the right direction that my massage table cart had arrived in the mail and was sitting outside the apartment. Newly motivated, I printed up a couple flyers, business cards, and looked up hotels along Van Ness near my office. I drove into the city, circled for about 15 minutes looking for parking, and walked to the closest hotel and inquired at the front desk. The lady was helpful but I didn’t get anywhere. Feeling a little disappointed, I decided to walk down the street a few blocks and see if the new Will Smith movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, was playing. I was just in time for the show, and there was 1 seat remaining in the middle of the best row of the theater.

Talk about timely…the movie was about making it in San Francisco. It was inspiring and sad at the same time. I loved the line that asked, “how did the founders of this country know to write the “pursuit” of happiness?” My answer is that happiness is a temporary phenomenon, and we spend our lives pursuing it. Every once in a while, we are fortunate enough to bask in its glow, but like the sun’s rays, it cannot be bottled and kept. That’s why I’ve always said joy is better than happiness.

I prepared for the brisk 6-block walk back to my car after the movie. On the way back, I passed one hotel and decided not to go in. Then, I saw another across the street, one that I had looked up online. The crosswalk light changed at just the right time and I felt I should change directions and cross the street to go to it. I walked up past the valet parking, went inside, and found the concierge.

He noticed my black folder and remarked, “You must be working!” I smiled humbly and said yes, and explained my proposition to him. He too quickly posted all my information in the best spot on his desk, and said to me: “We have to look out for each other. In the old days, people helped each other out. People now are just bringing other people down.” It was so kind of him and was just what I needed to hear at the moment. I probably teared up a little bit! He directed me over to the front desk and told me just to make sure it was okay with them, and that he would be glad to refer people to me for massage. I warmly shook his hand and said thank you, with deep gratitude in my heart. The handsome young man at the front desk asked for my card and said he would definitely be referring hotel guests to me. I walked all the way back to my car feeling lighter with hope.

What a night.