The small things

The car in front of me stopped at the drop off in front of the school. Several kids got out of the car, if possible, each one looking more sullen and lifeless than the one before.

"That must be the happiness mobile," I commented to my daughter Anna. Seeing the blank expressions on the kids' faces and the slump of their shoulders as they shuffled towards the school, Anna looked at me for an explanation.

"That car must suck all the joy and life out of everyone who rides in it---not allowing any happiness to leave," I surmised. How else could I explain the children exiting the vehicle in front of me?

Then I suddenly realized: That was probably exactly what my own kids looked like getting out of my car! I panicked. "Anna---Smile!" I commanded. "When you get out of the car exude happiness!"

"What does exude mean?" she asked. I told her that she could think of it like radiating happiness from every pore. "You want me to sweat happiness?" she asked giving me a look. (Pretty much, whatever it takes so I don't have to feel like I have sucked all the joy from your soul...)

I'm not sure my pep talk helped much, but I did get a lopsided smile from her when she got out of the car. Which is better than nothing!

2 comments:

Julie Ramsay said...

Mindy you exude happiness! Perhas your car could be called the Exuder.... I'm trying to clean up after the twins but they don't want me in their room. 3 year old brats or what???

Katydid said...

Thanks for making an early morning chuckle come out I hope I can be that funny mom some day....as long as I annoy my kids. Hurray!