Finding Humor in Everyday Mishaps

I love finding beauty in simple things

during my walks

For the sake of everyone's safety, I'm staying off the streets today. Ok, not really, but I did manage to drop a Tupperware of sweet potato casserole on the floor, somehow, it landed right-side-up, but it splashed a trajectory of mashed sweet potatoes in a five-foot path.

I also tried to work on my story today, but my attention span is about five minutes long at the moment, which is why I'm blogging instead.

Like many hobbies, its something to work on. A few years ago I used to sit down for eight hours at a time to write, so I know I can do it, I just have to work up to it. Kind of like running. I used to hate it, but this past month, I started again at the encouragement of my brother-in-law, who, while he likes to give me a hard time, really does have my best interest in mind. My goal was the Coast Guard fitness test standards, which he was working on as well. For me, it meant a 1.5 mile run in 15:36, 12 pushups in a minute, and 36 sit ups in a minute.

I pushed myself for the past three weeks, running more than I have since high school. My final run was on Thanksgiving. I was a bit discouraged that I wasn't seeing more progress, but I knew if I pushed myself I could make the run in 15:36. I didn't. I did it in 16 minutes. I was frustrated that I hadn't pushed myself just a little bit harder, and went to tell my brother-in-law that I hadn't quite met my goal, and found out that I had already surpassed my goal, and was probably running about a 13 minute mile and a half because their treadmill was slow. And everyone knew it but me.

The older I get, the easier it is to laugh off things that, even a few years ago, would have angered, embarrassed, or made me cry. I remember my first flat tire. I was coming home from a long week of work, tired, excited for my final year of college, and quickly realized that the burning tire smell emanating from my car meant something was wrong. My friend, who was with me, thought that being stranded on the side of the road with a completely flat tire was hilarious, but I sat there crying while she laughed.

It makes for a funny story now, but it was a hard lesson, learning to laugh off things that can be frustrating or embarrassing, even something as simple as spilling sweet potatoes.