It has been exactly one year since I came home from Honduras. Probably the hardest challenge I’ve ever had to go through, (knock on wood) wasn’t learning Spanish or living simply but it was coming home. It was like going through a breakup, the disappointment that it’s over, the anger that things weren’t what you expected them to be, and the loneliness of uncertainty. I think it would be difficult and unnecessary to recap everything that has challenged me or has encouraged me in the last year, because I wouldn’t be able to put it into words. I have learned so much about myself, and I am still learning so much that I would rather look at the small blessings that I enjoy much more. One of the goals I made for myself when I came back from Honduras without a plan b, and moving back into my parents house (scary), was to laugh at least once a day. I mean really laugh, like from the bottom of your gut laugh.
This is a list of what has made me smile and laugh... in my jobs, in my family, in my life...
I live within 100 steps of one of my day jobs, but it’s funny the amount of time even 100 steps give me to make observations.
Once, after a hard day I walked by the veterinary clinic next to my house and literally found five dollars next to the chain linked fence (big smile).
This particular week, I saw a hibiscus flower sitting in a pile of dead leaves perfectly in tact and no it was not fake. In my head I began to make a list of possible reasons why a flower could be there in the middle of November. A reason such as one of the neighbors had flowers delivered to the house and it blew away, maybe they had to apologize for something, and this is how my tangential mind works. However I found a sense of joy in seeing something so alive in the middle of decay.
Or there was the time that my coworker turned up the radio when it was playing “I’m too sexy for my shirt” and shouted, “This one goes out to Hannah at the front counter!” Following this I could lead into an array of sexual jokes and innuendos that occur while taking lunch orders but I won’t disclose in such a public way, but they make me giggle.
Non-sexual joking occurs as well like today when a really short guy was waiting for his order and a former coworker said to me, “Hey who left their hat on the counter?” I looked up and only saw the hat of the man patiently waiting and lost it, and for all of you who know me I don’t have a silent laugh by any means.
I have also been babysitting for a family of two children since September every morning. They have literally been a gift to me because I don’t know how I would be paying for my Master’s without this job. It’s not fun waking up early, but the joy the kids give me, and the giggles we have makes it worth it. Yup they’re 7 and 8 but we all still giggle together.
Will who is on the autism spectrum has an amazing smile and tells you what he thinks is “so hilarious,” allowing whoever wants to listen insight into how his mind works. One of my favorite things he has said to me is “What if, my muscles grew sooooo big that I could reach up and punch a space ship?” Looking at me for my reaction across the breakfast counter I said intently: “That would be soooo cool.”
My new favorite thing he said was: “What if, it started raining butts and when the butts hit the ground they started walking?” And anyone who knows me knows that I can’t handle bathroom humor and I just started to laugh. It’s great when my daily laugh quota is filled before 7:30 AM.
This week both Will and Carli have been sick so I’ve been helping out during the day when I can. I have played a lot of games, and watched a lot of i Carly, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Literally I have watched that movie 3 times this week, it’s time to see the squeakquel.
When she’s not lying on the couch, Carli loves to play make believe and unfortunately she wasn’t blessed with a sister so I get to be Dad when we play house. This week in our make believe adventure, Carli brought a puppy home from “the pet store” but the puppy stopped breathing. So we jumped into the bean bag chair car with our baby dolls securely in the back and drove to the “vet.” I play a range of characters. As the vet I fixed the puppy, and asked for the reasonable price of $300 USD. Carli said “I don’t have 300 dollars!” grabbed the puppy, and our bean bag car was now our get away car. Unfortunately real Dad came home during our great escape. Hopefully the adventure continues soon and yes this is what I get paid for.
At home I had to reconnect with friends from high school that I hadn’t really talked to in so long. I am so blessed with the friends I have, just three in particularly, and they helped save my life with laughter and their time.
To be continued....
