"Honey, I Shrunk the Audience Syndrome"

When I was a small girl my wonderful parents took us to Disneyland (you saw that coming didn't you?) and I vividly remember seeing the "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" 3-D movie. Through the whole thing I was miserable! Everything made me jump and squeal and I was just NOT happy with it. At one point a snake popped out at me and I just couldn't take it anymore. I just couldn't. I took off the glasses and started crying, sobbing, wailing. My sweet mother stopped watching to comfort me and asked what was wrong. I sobbed, "It's picking on me! It only jumps out at me! It keeps being rude to me!" (Or something similar to that...) And my mother explained to me that the screen does that to everyone and pointed to everyone in the audience jumping at the same time. So I put my glasses back on and watched, not as unhappily as before.

I think that sometimes in life we get what I now call "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience Syndrome". We think that life or God is picking on us, only giving us trials and challenges. When really everyone is having trials and challenges. We are all having a tough time, or we just went through one, or we're about to go through one. The trick is to remember that you aren't alone. Sometimes you have to take off those hideous 3-D glasses and look around you at everyone else in your life. Maybe the snake is jumping out at them at that moment and they need you to comfort them and listen and offer advice if they want it. And focusing on all the things that are going wrong will keep you from laughing at the funny show life is putting on for you, along with the tender moments, the blissful moments, the peaceful moments.

Thank you to all the beautiful people in my life who've taken off their glasses for me when I'm crying even over something as stupid as a fake snake popping out of a 3-D screen to comfort me and give me advice.

Valentines Day!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

I've decided this may be my favorite holiday. Not for the romance and the flowers and candy, but for the opportunity to show and express your love for the people you love most. I love the secrecy of surprises you get to give those you love. I love feeling loved, but more loving others. I love telling and showing friends and family I love them and seeing their eyes get watery or their lips crack into a smile. I love making frilly pink and red things and giving them to people. I love seeing the couples trying to do cute things for each other. I love that my Dad doesn't give my mom flowers on Valentines Day because it's too expected and surprises her with flowers random days of the year when she won't have a clue! I love that my Dad's Valentine for me was half of a $5 foot-long (my favorite kind--Chicken Bacon Ranch!!) and half a cookie. I love that my Mom spent an hour making me a beautiful card and filling it with confetti hearts. I love knowing that all the way in Guatemala my sister read the Valentine I snuck into her suitcase. (My brother will get his when he gets back, I didn't get the chance to sneak his in his suitcase!) Most of all I love the few things I don't dare post. Those very close to me know those few things and know that they made me so happy I cried and am again.

Yes, it is hard to be single on Valentines Day, but it doesn't lessen or dampen the brilliant glow that loving others and being loved by others makes me feel. Yes, it's hard to work on Valentines night and see all the couples, but the tips were great! (Even if it was because they felt sorry for me!) But I love this beautiful holiday. Maybe enough to call it my favorite. I'm not quite sure yet.

"If you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus one day so I never live without you." Winnie the Pooh

"I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it." Audrey Hepburn