I woke up this morning feeling sad.

The stresses of living all combine like the milk and
vanilla almond flakes in my cereal bowl.
Some days it’s all I can do to get it all down.

So I go through the motions. Head off to work. Nod hello. Try to smile at those I know.
Keep the door of my office
and my heart
closed
until it’s time to go to the laundromat.

I park and grab a heavy hamper filled with clothes.
A young man inside with earphones on sees me coming with my load.
He opens the door to let me in.

And deep down inside I feel something start to open up again.