BREAKFAST

This morning, I decided to eat a good breakfast - I knew I had a long Monday ahead and to prepare I had orange juice, tea and oatmeal. It was satisfying and filling. And made me feel great as I walked out the door.

Then, on the subway, I saw a sight that was a bit disturbing to me.

A beautiful little girl, maybe 2 years old, stumbled onto the train with her mom. She looked sleepy and her mouth was all orange. I noticed there was a half eaten bag of Doritos in her tiny hand. She sat next to me and sort of smiled. And I thought, Doritos for breakfast?

At the next stop, an adorable little boy, maybe 2 or 3, dragged by his mother, got on - and in his sticky grip was a bag of M&M's. Peanut M&M's. He sat on the other side of me and had bags under his eyes. Really - a toddler with dark circles!

And fully pleased with my healthy breakfast, I sat between two children eating pure crap at 9 o'clock in the morning. Chips and chocolate for the most important meal of the day. And you could see how a habit of this (and most likely more salty, sugary goodness throughout the day) was wearing on them. They literally looked worn out - aged, somehow.

It was strange - and while part of me wanted to ask the adults why they would subject their kids to these bad habits, I noticed that they, too, were eating Doritos and M&M's - and looking just as tired and worn out.

It was sad to me. But as there was not much to be done, I just tried to make those little lives next to me laugh and start their morning off with a giggle or two. A smile in the A.M. for me was not a bad trade-off, either!