Several years ago, my family and I were
eating at a local restaurant. All I wanted was a salad. I’d been thinking about
it all day…already had it planned in my head…and could almost taste each bite
just thinking about it. (Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this.)
I grazed through the salad bar, strategically
placing the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese…and so on…you get the picture—until
I had the “perfect salad.”
It was beautiful.
As I sat down at the table, I placed my
napkin in my lap and grabbed my fork, ready to begin the feast. The rest of my
family had ordered their food and began to eat, as well.
My daughter, Lindsay, who sat across from me,
picked up her fork and noticed a small patch of dried food on the handle.
“Gross!” she muttered. “There’s food on my
fork!”
“Oh, wipe if off.” I said. “It’s just on
the handle.” (Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this.)
She began to pick at it with her fingernail.
Just as I was about to take a bite of my beautiful
masterpiece, I looked up to see Lindsay flick the bit of dried food from
her fork. As if in slow motion, it propelled to the wall and ricocheted—you guessed
it— smack dab in the middle of my salad!
I couldn’t believe what had just happened. My
salad…my beautiful, masterpiece salad…ruined! And I hadn’t even gotten to taste
it yet!
As I sat in disbelief looking at my tarnished
mound of happy, my eyes began to squint and jaw tighten. Before I could even
think clearly, my squinted eyes veered across the table at my daughter and I spewed the words, “You
Stupid Head!”
Now, let me take a moment and say that I don’t
ever recall calling my kids names, and I have never in my life even said the word “Stupid Head”—ever. I have
no idea where it came from. I couldn’t help it…it just flew subconsciously out
of my mouth. Lindsay said fire shot out of my eyes, too, but I think she’s embellishing
just a little.
What happened in the next few moments was
priceless.
Wide-eyed, Lindsay looked at her brother,
Mathew—then back at me—then at her dad. And as if planned, the three of them harmoniously
burst into a guffaw of laughter. And then I whole-heartedly joined them.
It was beautiful.
Being called “Stupid Head” is now considered
a term of endearment in our family.
This should be my life’s motto:
Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful
shouting; Then they said among the nations, “The Lord
has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:2
God really does do great things for us. Just
the fact that He created laughter is soothing to the soul.
Enjoy each moment—and laugh—the rest of your life.