America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
Link: http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2016/07/this-is-worstest-day-ever.html
Yesterday I had a crying headache that sent me to bed, and I missed our family's July 4th celebration.
Today is my birthday, and I didn't feel like celebrating. This year has been filled with heartache and disappointment. I trust GOD's promises to get through this time, and to bring glory to Him, and refine my character.
But sometimes, I just need to find my JOY.
So - today on my 67th birthday, I went to therapy: Shopping Therapy at Hobby Lobby...searching for my latest obsession: anything fleur-de-lis.
As my daughter, Faith, and I looked at all the sparkly things on the shelves, I overheard this conversation coming from the aisle next to us.
A Mother's Voice: "Really - you're telling me that you want to change your birthday theme two days before the party?"
A Little Girl's Voice: "Yes."
Mother: "Oh, my child!"
Faith and I couldn't help but laugh.
We continued to wander aimlessly throughout the aisles, and the mother and daughter once again came into ear-shot.
Mother: "Honey you don't need to touch everything you see."
Little Girl: "I like it."
Mother: "Stop touching it, or I'm going to put you in the cart."
The mom starts counting....which I think is ridiculous, because it only gives children more time to disobey.
Mother: "One....."
Little Girl: "Two..."
Mother: "Yeah, that's right...now get in the cart."
Little Girl: "I don't want to!"
We laughed again. Counting never works.
Faith and I were off to other aisles to touch all the pretty things that caught our eyes: brass fleur-de-lis brads and stickers, black and white Mackezie-Childs-like ceramic knobs and chickens, LED flamless candles adorned with a fleur-de-lis, and a gorgeous silk-like black fabric with a gold embroidered fleur-de-lis pattern.
Just as we got our hands on items in the CLEARANCE section, we heard familiar voices.
Little Girl: (whining) "I want my stickers back!"
Mother: (calmly) "I am serious. I am very upset now. You aren't acting very nice, or saying very nice things. Little girls who act this way don't get stickers."
Little Girl: (fake-crying) "I was about to say something nice. You interrupted me. THIS HAS BEEN THE WORSTEST DAY EVER!!! You made me sit in the cart, and you are putting words in my mouth."
Mother: (calm, cool and collected) "I am not putting words in your mouth."
Little Girl: "Yes, you are. You keep interrupting me. If I say something nice, can I have my car stickers back at the end of the day?"
Mother: (still calm) "We're not coming back at the end of the day."
Little Girl: (whining louder and shaking the cart she is in - like it's a cage) "WHY? But I want them. I didn't get all the car stickers for my birthday! Can I have one then - just one?"
I was laughing hysterically.
I had to see the people who entertained us throughout my shopping therapy session.
Faith and I turned the corner to see a young 30-something mom, sporting a pony-tail and wearing shorts and a T-shirt, a little blonde curly headed boy about 2 years old walking next to her carrying stickers, and The Little Girl (maybe 4 years old) sitting in the cart. Her eyes were red from crying, and she was still bargaining with her mother to get back her beloved car stickers.
I couldn't keep my mouth shut. I walked over to the mom and greeted her.
ME: (laughing) "I'm sorry, but we've been eavesdropping on your conversation. You're such a good mom. Enjoy this now, and I hope you find some JOY in this, because she is hilarious. When she is older, she may take over one of the late night shows."
Mother: (smiling) "You're not the first one to say that!"
The two year old boy, who this mother trusted to walk around near her, walked towards me to show me his stickers.
I didn't mention that I disliked her counting because this mom redeemed herself (in my opinion) with her calm and loving demeanor in the face of a whining, articulate four-year old.
Guess who who just happened to have the last word?
Little Girl: "I'm NOT funny."
Faith and I laughed even harder.
Mother, daughter and son followed behind us as I touched more fleur-de-lis stickers.
Mother: (to her daughter) "You can be a very kind and sweet and funny girl. It's just that you're having a bad day.
Little Girl: "I'm not having a bad day - YOU ARE."
I rediscovered my JOY in the aisles of Hobby Lobby thanks to one little girl and her patient mother, who now has two days to change the entire theme of her daughter's birthday. Something tells me she's more than capable of handling the challenge.
Thanks for stopping by.
Come back often, and invite a friend!
Link: http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2016/07/this-is-worstest-day-ever.html
"You can't scare me.
I've taught 3, 4 and 5 year olds!"
Mary Marcia
America's STORYTELLER
Former Preschool & Kindergarten Teacher
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
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