Hey GIRL (that’s you, our Grace In the Race Ladies):
Last weekend, in a picture-perfect outdoor ceremony, my brother married his forever-love!
It meant my immediate family was all together which is something that occurs way too infrequently these days, in my opinion, but lights up my heart when it does.
The day after the wedding we all convened at my parents’ house for an outdoor – socially-distanced – gathering. We recapped the festivities of the prior day and caught up on life in general while the cousins giggled and played for hours on end.
We told stories over dinner and reminisced. Eventually, we landed on the time my mom was out running errands and had some packages to mail. She was in a neighboring town and decided to pop into the new post office that had just opened in a new shopping complex that also housed a bank and some other retailers.
When she entered the post office, she was immediately impressed with how fancy the new facility was. They even had a coffee station!
She was in a bit of a hurry and thus took her place in line and waited patiently while juggling her packages and mentally reviewing her to-do list.
When it was her turn, she approached the counter, set down her packages, and said, “Hi. I need to mail these, and I’d also like a book of stamps, please.” To which the very sweet attendant replied, “Ma’am, do you think you’re at the post office?”
In that instant, Mom looked up and realized she had found her way into the new bank instead of the neighboring post office.
[Pause for roaring laughter.]
My favorite part is when mom recounts this story and drops that last line. She says the woman sounded exactly like Tina from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure when – spoiler alert – she reveals to PeeWee Herman that there’s no basement in the Alamo. Watch this clip and think of Linda (mom) waiting and waiting only to finally realize what’s happened.
Oh man, that story gets me every time! This written account barely does it justice (I wish I had a video of Mom telling it) but oh my gosh, did we laugh at that memory!
It was that kind of laugh that comes from the depths of your belly. Your head flies back and your mouth flies open but no sound escapes. Your eyes water and your nostrils flare, then you snort a little because your lungs have run out of air causing you to get a cramp in your side. It hurts and you never want it to end. It was the best thing I’d felt in weeks, maybe months.
And the best part about it was seeing that very same happiness beaming across the faces of everyone at the table – in the middle of a pandemic!
We’ve spent so much time lately consumed with worry over this pandemic – and rightly so – but, it’s so important to find a reason to laugh in this “season.” And so, we’re dedicating this issue to laughter in hope that you’ll discover the benefits of adding more snort-worthy moments to your life.
If you have a funny memory to share, we’d LOVE to hear it! Hit REPLY and send it to us. Maybe we’ll even publish it on our blog or a future newsletter (with your permission, of course)!
Love & Grace,
Rachel (& Amanda)
Co-founders of Grace in the Race, LLC
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For the Love of My Dad