10:47 p.m. | 2005-10-05 Take Five. I stubbed my little toe recently and broke it. I�ve sufficiently babied it for a week or so before today. For whatever reason, I decided to step into heels this morning. Which is when I realized that I haven�t been relying so much on that toe. Strangely, I didn�t change shoes which either makes me a masochist or really, really tired. I think it�s the latter. Things have slowed up considerably and enough that I could have lunch with BestestGirlfriend (BG). BG and I decided to make the most of it and dine for America. We chose a restaurant that contributed 100% of our meal ticket. It�s a new, rather expensive place and we weren�t disappointed. And, I must say, I can always eat for a good cause. Of course that�s not saying much since I can eat for no cause at all. But still. It used to be the case that, over lunch, BG and I would attempt to solve the problems of the world. Now, we focus on our own problems. That�s certainly more productive and appropriate. Oh, and infinitely more entertaining. We tend to be bumbling fools when it comes to our own difficulties. Well, I really should only speak for myself� I�m a bumbling fool when it comes to my own personal situations. But not so much anymore. I�ve got a new sense about myself. I�m much calmer, thank goodness, and level-headed. I�ve become much more proactive rather than reactive. There�s definitely a strong power in that shift in balance. I�m also much more compassionate. I�ve always been empathetic with others but my compassion runs more deeply since I�ve turned my attention away from myself. On an emotional level, I�ve become much more adept at �walking a mile in another�s shoes� as has BG. On a physical level, ironically and typically, both of us still continue to excel at walking on each others� shoes. When we�re together, the klutz factor always brings us down to earth. Often literally. Keeps us humble I suppose. your thoughts? seed flower