I had one of those 'only in a wheelchair' experiences today. We had to go out late this morning when the rain was pouring down, hard. Joe implored me to wear my poncho which is constructed much like a 'hefty' bag. It reminded me of those 'Back to School' sales where my mother would buy me 'hefty fit' pants from SAAN's. I agreed, for two reasons ... one, I wanted to be dry; two, I don't care any more. So I donned the poncho and we headed out. The rain was falling so hard that it actually hurt as it struck.
We had decided to go via subway and headed up to Bloor Street. Once in the mall and through the doors to the subway, there is a long switchback ramp down into the plaza where you enter the system. I headed down the ramp and suddenly I felt burning cold as the rain all, with the slant downwards, ran right down the poncho and onto my knees and legs. I was absolutely soaked. Completely and totally soaked. When, later, I took off the poncho it looked like I had gone wading in a knee deep pool. Who knew?
I hadn't been feeling well, being really tired from being up all night with a bug. That's a polite way of saying that I spent a lot of time admiring the decor of the bathroom. But that little moment, struck me as funny. Really, really, funny.
A sense of humour might be the most important thing that I have in my toolkit for surviving life. Little moments that make me giggle, give just enough leavening to make it all 'do-able' somehow. They never told us, when we were kids, the truth. Live is very hard. Choices are very much limited. And, of course, 'you can do anything if you put your mind to it' is crap. Learning to deal with what is, learning to cope with what isn't, learning to find a bit of hope in what will be - that's the stuff of living. And while there's a lot of stuffing, there's also a lot of laughing - approached right, life can hold as much laughter as it does loss.
So when I peeled off my poncho, my jeans, and my wet socks, I was glad that when I packed my bags from childhood, I remembered to bring 'play,' 'laughter,' and a sense of fun.
Here's to your wet knees!
8 comments:
So glad you remembered to bring those important things from your childhood. Laughter can make it all better.
Oh Dave,
two years ago life got so hard for me that I had to go into counseling. Almost every time I leave my counselor I am smiling at the world again.
I am glad that there are people who manage with me and make me laugh again.
By the way, in one of your last posts you mentioned that you would do a tour in England around christmas.
If you know the schedule I would love to try to listen to one of your lesseons.
Julia (from Germany)
Julia, I don't have a schedule yet, if you feel comfortable emailing your email address I can send it on to the organizers and maybe they can let you know when we get closer to the trip. It would be cool to meet you.
Dave,
That reminds me of my wet "everything" I had at school this year. I had just finished tube feeding one of my students and I realized he looked like he was in distress. Being that he was a little guy, I unhooked him and put him in my lap so I could talk to him and sooth him. Well, don't you know, everything we had put in plus some more all came out of him all over me! All I could do was laugh and ask for towels. :) You don't know how much I hate the smell of vanilla pediasure! But really what else can you do but laugh and remember to keep extra clothes in the back of your car next time! Mom, having a good sense of humor herself, sent me a present the next day of vanilla scented lotion to replace the smell her son has shared with me the day before. I do love my job :)
Lisa
Hi Dave,
I sent you my e-mail-adress but due to american and german law sometimes my provider and hotmail do not work properly.
I hope you get my e-mail.
Julia (from Germany)
Hi Dave,
the mail I did send to your account came back undeliverable.
Sorry Julia
Lisa's "wet everything," made me laugh and agree that it could have been worse Dave--knees down is funny, but not as embarrassing as it might have been! :)
A sense of humour is the most wonderful gift/tool to have in one's kit.
"Learning to deal with what is, learning to cope with what isn't, learning to find a bit of hope in what will be - that's the stuff of living."
This resonated with me and what is going on with my life right now and like you, I try to always find humour in there somewhere, because it is so essential.
Thanks for this post for so many reasons:)
Here's to wet knees!!!
M
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