Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Bound to Make You Smile

I'm afraid I've been in a bah-humbug, scrooge kind of mood for several weeks now. It's work, weighing heavy on my mind, that is keeping me from getting into the spirit of the season. Smiles are hard to come by these days, but on my way to work this morning, I saw something that shook me out of my grumpy state. Walking down the road was a young woman with a black lab. In his mouth was, not a stick, but a branch, over six feet long! His tail was wagging so hard his entire back end shook. I not only smiled, but laughed out loud. The woman walking him kept shaking her head and smiling. How could I not smile with them?

What's made you smile recently? Would you care to share and spread that smile even farther? I know I'd love to read your stories.

10 comments:

  1. Ha! Great story!

    I was at Don Pablo's for lunch yesterday with my husband, and we were lamenting over various work woes. At a table across the room (which was fairly empty), a 30ish couple had their 1-year-old baby in a high chair. I glanced up at one point and the dad was doing a little "raise the roof" dance in his chair to entertain the baby. It was too cute.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh yes, babies do make me smile. I miss those days! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been swapping e-mails with a 98-year-old friend of my late grandfather. He recently gave up driving, but he's still e-mailing, and that makes me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chris, your story is heartwarming, and that makes me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Tricia,

    First of all I love "Miss Rumphius." Secondly, I'm happy you're working your way out of your funk.

    Looking through my favorite book --
    Together: Creating Family Traditions and deciding which craft or recipe I would do with my grandchildren when they visit tomorrow brought me much joy today. They range in age from 4-12 yet this book always has something we can do to make wonderful family memories together.

    Just thinking about their visit tomorrow, and being grateful for today, puts a HUGE smile on my face.

    Happy Holidays & Cheers,
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  6. Can I name two?

    (1) Page 139 of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I read that book this weekend and keep thinking about those thank-you notes at inappropriate moments ... so far I've had to stop myself from laughing out loud in church, at a concert and in a meeting at work.

    (2) Just thought of this when I read Laura's ... the other day we got some snow and there was a couple with a little toddler trying to get a picture with the kid all bundled up under a snow-laden fir tree. The mom had the camera, and the dad was jumping up and down, waving his arms and trying to get the kid to look at her. The kid was staring with great fascination at his boots and the snow beneath them and was totally oblivious to mom and dad's efforts. So sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Linda - I love the thought of doing arts and crafts with your grandkids. William and I have been doing origami. There is a link to some ideas on the blog.

    lindabudz - I loved diary of a Wimpy Kid! Thanks so much for reminding me! And I love the thought of a toddler in the snow.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You'd get a kick out of the homeless guy here in Austin, who panhandles for money on the side of the highway, along with his dog, a large beagle-looking thing that wears a wig and sun glasses. Every time I see the two, the dog is wearing a different pair of glasses, or wig or hat. And he even wears coats and dress shirts with ties. I think the dreadlock wig was the funniest. The dog doesn't seem to mind and wears the garb as though it's perfectly natural.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Don,
    It sounds as though your panhandler has a wonderful outlook, even though he may be down on his luck. The image of that dog does indeed make me smile!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great stories! I am smiling at all of them now.

    This morning I laughed at my two year old sitting up in his high chair in footie pajamas. He was eating a bagel with cream cheese all over his face trying to make his brother laugh by saying "My name is Ichabod!" They got that from some movie I can't remember which.

    When I said "Hurry up it's time to go to school!"

    He said, "Yeah, hit the road Jack." This kid is going to drive his teachers crazy.

    ReplyDelete