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Michigan Blog - Featuring Michigan Shopping, Travel, Business & PeopleMichigan Shopping, Deals and Coupons - People and community, Michigan Sports (as well as High School Sports), Traveling in the State of Michigan, Michigan Events and Michigan Business - all in one place.Monday, July 13, 2009 Well, That Sucks!-- One woman's view of using humor to help cope...- CLICK HERE!
 As I walked out to my car the other day, I spotted this pacifier lying on ground of my local community center parking lot. My immediate thought was "Uh Oh..... someone is going to have a bad day." I thought this because anybody who has ever had a child, adopted a child, fostered a child, cared for a child, been in charge of a child or who has remotely even been around a child who loses a beloved pacifier will understand what I was thinking. Yes, some poor parent was going to be in for a very bad day when they realized their child's pacifier was gone. Vamoose......History. And, when the parent did realize this, it will probably be too late. The child is already whimpering, whining, crying, or heaven forbid-- screaming..............for the pacifier. I'm thinking that this has happened to the best of us. Even for someone like me, who had the perfect child who did not require a pacifier. My child only required a blankie buddy, an Eeyore, a Zebra, a giraffe, dairy free products and dairy free snacks--- but not a pacifier. I am not better than. I could be worse. But, to me it doesn't matter if it is a pacifier or a green wire twist tie that was grabbed from the produce section of the grocery store- a soother is a soother. Whatever works, works. So, I went to my car- grabbed my camera, and snapped a shot of what could become someone's nightmare. And I didn't flinch. In fact, I started to laugh. I know this may sound cruel, but sorry.....I thought I was having a bad day before I saw this. However, the lone pacifier became my catalyst for changing my perspective on what constitutes a bad day. If I thought my day was going poorly, I had to think again. I thought about the parent or person who was with the child who had lost the pacifier. And, just wait until that parent realizes that pacifier has vanished.........Gone.....vamoose..........bye-bye..........Then I imagined that the child is screaming for the "paci"...... Now, I flinch. Because I've heard that scream, and now I am hearing the noise. I started to feel frightened. I wanted to flee, because that sound just might reach my ears, in that parking lot. See, this was no ordinary parking lot where the pacifier was lying. This pacifier was lying in the parking lot of the local community center that hosts a plethora of activities for children of all ages. Problem is, parents of multiples, and I am talking about multiple children of multiple ages, have to get their child into the age appropriate activity at a specific time. I am fortunate. I only have one child. She has to be in one class at one time. And somedays I have a hard time doing that. But to see these parents lug three, four kids into the center, only to drop one off and lug the other three, four kids back to the car, just to turn around and do it all again in 20 minutes because the class only lasts for 40 minutes and you cannot leave the property----- well, it kind of made me tired and a bit more compassionate. And very, very, grateful now for just having one. It wasn't always like that. We tried to have more kids. We wanted more kids. We went through extraordinary measures to have more kids. It just wasn't in the big plan. So, instead of me feeling down about having only one child, I have tried to make the best of it. And using humor helps me cope with the other side of any given situation. This is why, after spotting the pacifier lying innocently on the ground, I went to my car and grabbed my camera. I cracked myself up as I took several photos, at several angles, knowing that I could write about what it feels like to have loved, lost and moved on. I cannot say it is still not painful when I see a mom with 2 or more children, it is just more of a process to help change my thinking pattern. We have enough turmoil in today's world to keep me occupied if I so choose. Instead, I choose to photograph lost pacifiers and take pleasure in creating an idea. This is not easy, it takes practice and patience, but I'm glad I have the fortitude to do so. So, as I was cracking myself up by taking photos of a pacifier in a parking lot, a woman cautiously approached me. She thought I was taking photos of her car, which was parked in the spot right where the pacifier was laying. She thought that someone hit her car, took off, and that I was taking photos of her car for evidence. Imagine her surprise when I laughed and said "Oh, no!..... I'm just taking a photo of this pacifier laying in the ground. I'm into creative writing and wanted to write a piece about how a lost pacifier could create a very bad day for someone." At first, the woman looked at me like I had lost my mind. I was not offeded. This happens frequently. I am used to it. But then, guess what...... She started to laugh too............... Labels: comedy, humor, Lessons in Life, parenting Saturday, November 3, 2007 Lessons in Life & eBeanstalk Coupons- CLICK HERE!
And so, as one smart bear once said... "If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you." eBeanStalk Coupons A Thousand Marbles - as heard on an unknown radio station: eBeanStalk Developmental Toys Labels: Lessons in Life, Valuing Time with Loved Ones |
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