Belly-laughing, Pants-dropping Moments
You know how some days you just need some form of comedic relief? Well, yesterday was one of those days for me!
My husband, home sick with a cough and scratchy voice, needed my attention now and again. He is never really very demanding, but I wanted to make sure he had plenty of fluids and soup, and was comfortable. Up and down those stairs I dashed – probably a good 30 times.
Now, the next session of the dental assisting school is about to begin in Mid April. My ads are online and in the papers; the phone WAS busy.
Repeating answers to the same questions over and over, I talked to a lot of people.
A sense of intensity seemed to pre-occupy many of the callers. Some were tenuous about the things going on in the world. Awareness of a need for a significant change in their lives occupied the conversations of others.
For a few, their world was in a tizzy. Past opportunities had slipped away because of unforeseen circumstances they could never have anticipated. Some of the stories I heard were almost mind-boggling.
I found myself in a familiar role once again – one of Life’s cheerleaders! After a time, I just needed a break!
Brochures and outgoing mail in hand, I raced across the driveway in the rain. Throwing everything in the car, I headed for the post office. A couple of overnight packages from students were waiting. Okay. That was uneventful.
A sudden urge to swing by Starbucks engulfed me. I resisted, telling myself I really didn’t need Mocha. Besides, it was out of my way The urge seemed to take on a different tone – more than just picking up coffee. I finally capitulated!
A white mocha for my honey; that would be a surprise! Approaching the pick-up window, the son of a friend greeted me. His hair was bright red today, but his usual bright personality and smile seemed strained. He was pleasant enough but out of sorts.
I thanked him for such good service and then asked him, directly,
“How are you Matt? What’s going on?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“It’s been a bad weekend” he said in a quiet, halting voice.
In short, his girlfriend had gone in for some simple surgery. She was ready to be sent home and she complained that she didn’t feel well. The complaint was ignored as they readied her for transport. Staff shrugged it off as “normal”.
Prior to being released she protested strongly. He relayed that an MRI revealed profuse abdominal bleeding and she was wisked away to emergency.
At one point, the doctor came to the family to let them know he didn’t know if she would make it! Matt’s face scrunched as he spoke,
“I didn’t know what to do!” he mumbled. “She’s still there, and it doesn’t look good”
My heart skipped and I could see this boy was is much need of encouragement, so I spent the time it took to lift his spirits. . There were no cars behind me and they were not busy.
I asked her name. Funny, it was one of my old nick-names, so that would be easy to remember. I pulled out of the drive-thru slowly, pondering my decision to stop for coffee. No, I don’t believe in accidents. I am glad I responded to that earlier inner gut-level feeling.
My mood was somber as I turned down one of the more “country” roads in town!
From a distance I spotted a guy on the side of the road struggling with the back of his vehicle in the rain. His old van was parked on a slight slope, placing the vehicle’s tail a little father from the ground than normal.
What a dufus! The rain pelted his shirtless body as he tried to slam down the hatch. Part of his long scruffy hair blew in the rain while the rest just stuck to his back. Obviously he was trying to hurry. The heavy van door sprung right back up! With a knee-jerk reaction, this fellow immediately lunged upward to catch it.
At the same moment, his loosely slung pants dropped to his knees revealing bright red, patterned boxers! That van hatch popped up, and the look on his face was absolutely incredible! On hand clutching pants, one hand clutching at the leather strap of the hatch, he froze while the rain suddenly increased in its intensity! Such Slap-shtick!
I burst out laughing so hard that I cried. I couldn’t help myself! He saw me laughing. I saw him see me. I laughed harder and he started laughing too. Oh my stomach!
Yes, I needed a mental break. I got one.
Life is unpredictable. It can be a grind. At times, it comes with a tsunami.
I never want to forget to be thankful. I never want to ignore those inner-promptings. I do want to continue to be there for those who need a little support now and then – even when it is inconvenient or out of my way. Who knows, I may be on the receiving end one day, myself. Then it will be there for me!
In the meantime, I will look for those belly-laugh, pants-dropping kind of moments to keep me refreshed. God looked down and sent that one…just for me!
3-15-11 Nancy Kehr
You know how some days you just need some form of comedic relief? Well, yesterday was one of those days for me!
My husband, home sick with a cough and scratchy voice, needed my attention now and again. He is never really very demanding, but I wanted to make sure he had plenty of fluids and soup, and was comfortable. Up and down those stairs I dashed – probably a good 30 times.
Now, the next session of the dental assisting school is about to begin in Mid April. My ads are online and in the papers; the phone WAS busy.
Repeating answers to the same questions over and over, I talked to a lot of people.
A sense of intensity seemed to pre-occupy many of the callers. Some were tenuous about the things going on in the world. Awareness of a need for a significant change in their lives occupied the conversations of others.
For a few, their world was in a tizzy. Past opportunities had slipped away because of unforeseen circumstances they could never have anticipated. Some of the stories I heard were almost mind-boggling.
I found myself in a familiar role once again – one of Life’s cheerleaders! After a time, I just needed a break!
Brochures and outgoing mail in hand, I raced across the driveway in the rain. Throwing everything in the car, I headed for the post office. A couple of overnight packages from students were waiting. Okay. That was uneventful.
A sudden urge to swing by Starbucks engulfed me. I resisted, telling myself I really didn’t need Mocha. Besides, it was out of my way The urge seemed to take on a different tone – more than just picking up coffee. I finally capitulated!
A white mocha for my honey; that would be a surprise! Approaching the pick-up window, the son of a friend greeted me. His hair was bright red today, but his usual bright personality and smile seemed strained. He was pleasant enough but out of sorts.
I thanked him for such good service and then asked him, directly,
“How are you Matt? What’s going on?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“It’s been a bad weekend” he said in a quiet, halting voice.
In short, his girlfriend had gone in for some simple surgery. She was ready to be sent home and she complained that she didn’t feel well. The complaint was ignored as they readied her for transport. Staff shrugged it off as “normal”.
Prior to being released she protested strongly. He relayed that an MRI revealed profuse abdominal bleeding and she was wisked away to emergency.
At one point, the doctor came to the family to let them know he didn’t know if she would make it! Matt’s face scrunched as he spoke,
“I didn’t know what to do!” he mumbled. “She’s still there, and it doesn’t look good”
My heart skipped and I could see this boy was is much need of encouragement, so I spent the time it took to lift his spirits. . There were no cars behind me and they were not busy.
I asked her name. Funny, it was one of my old nick-names, so that would be easy to remember. I pulled out of the drive-thru slowly, pondering my decision to stop for coffee. No, I don’t believe in accidents. I am glad I responded to that earlier inner gut-level feeling.
My mood was somber as I turned down one of the more “country” roads in town!
From a distance I spotted a guy on the side of the road struggling with the back of his vehicle in the rain. His old van was parked on a slight slope, placing the vehicle’s tail a little father from the ground than normal.
What a dufus! The rain pelted his shirtless body as he tried to slam down the hatch. Part of his long scruffy hair blew in the rain while the rest just stuck to his back. Obviously he was trying to hurry. The heavy van door sprung right back up! With a knee-jerk reaction, this fellow immediately lunged upward to catch it.
At the same moment, his loosely slung pants dropped to his knees revealing bright red, patterned boxers! That van hatch popped up, and the look on his face was absolutely incredible! On hand clutching pants, one hand clutching at the leather strap of the hatch, he froze while the rain suddenly increased in its intensity! Such Slap-shtick!
I burst out laughing so hard that I cried. I couldn’t help myself! He saw me laughing. I saw him see me. I laughed harder and he started laughing too. Oh my stomach!
Yes, I needed a mental break. I got one.
Life is unpredictable. It can be a grind. At times, it comes with a tsunami.
I never want to forget to be thankful. I never want to ignore those inner-promptings. I do want to continue to be there for those who need a little support now and then – even when it is inconvenient or out of my way. Who knows, I may be on the receiving end one day, myself. Then it will be there for me!
In the meantime, I will look for those belly-laugh, pants-dropping kind of moments to keep me refreshed. God looked down and sent that one…just for me!
3-15-11 Nancy Kehr
1 comment:
What a delightful post! I know that even in the sorrow of praying for a girlfriend, there is a joy to know one really has heard the Lord's prompting, and that another person's load may be lightened because of it.
As for those boxers, LOL!
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