| The positive and healing power of humor cannot be | | | | probably kill her (or worse), for doing something stupid |
| measured! Humor helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and | | | | like this! It was cold outside and she had to think of |
| tension and that's why I use humor to get out of | | | | something FAST! |
| embarrassing situations myself. And, there have been | | | | She looked down the highway, and noticed there were |
| plenty of them in my life! I've eaten plenty of "crow," | | | | store lights less than a mile down the highway, maybe |
| and have gotten plenty of "egg on my face" over the | | | | a gas station or convenience store, she hoped! (this |
| years, too! | | | | was before cell phones) So, she decided the only thing |
| STOP; LOOK; LISTEN | | | | she could do, was to start walking to the store to use |
| My ex-wife had a great sense of humor, but she was | | | | the phone. She figured it would take her about 15 |
| not a very funny person most of the time. She rarely | | | | minutes to walk to the store and call her husband to |
| came up with anything funny, or if she told a joke, she | | | | come and get her, so she she started walking. |
| would usually screw it up! That's fine...I can't fault her | | | | A few minutes after she left the scene, a police |
| for that! I screw up most of my jokes, too! But, she | | | | officer stopped at her car to check things out! What |
| shined one day, when she told me the following story | | | | he found was sure interesting. An abandoned car, with |
| about what her receptionist did at work. And, she | | | | the engine running; the doors were locked and the |
| picked up on this bit of humor because she was | | | | headlights were on! What was the officer to think...foul |
| LISTENING! When she told me this story, I almost fell | | | | play, perhaps? The officer looked all around the area, |
| over backwards! | | | | to see if he could see anybody around, but there was |
| Human Services | | | | nobody. So, he called for help for other units to join in |
| The state Department of Human Services (New | | | | on a search! |
| Mexico), which handles child abuse cases, was quite | | | | Meanwhile (back at the ranch), or at the store where |
| busy on this particular Monday morning. Clients and | | | | Michelle had walked to...she arrived and called her |
| attorneys were waiting in the reception area, and | | | | husband on the phone. From the phone booth, she |
| several of the children were in the nursery, and the | | | | looked back up the highway, and noticed flashing lights |
| telephones were ringing off the hook! | | | | near her car! The worry set in for her right away, and |
| The receptionist had only been on the job for about a | | | | she thought something had happened to her car! She |
| week, and as in any new job, she was still trying to | | | | told her husband that she would meet him at the car, |
| find her way around, etc. As the morning wore on, the | | | | which was less than a mile north of the convenience |
| office scene continued to be quite hectic! And, by | | | | store. |
| mid-morning, things became a little dizzying for her, as | | | | Worried... Michelle was in a hurry-up mode to get back |
| she tried to take care of everyone's needs. | | | | to her car, after seeing the flashing lights! As she |
| About noon time...looking a bit drained and | | | | walked faster and faster toward her car, she noticed |
| overwhelmed with it all, she was overheard to answer | | | | more flashing lights, and could hear dogs barking off in |
| the telephone, "Good morning...Human Cervixes...may I | | | | the distance! She didn't know what to think! She then |
| help you?" | | | | noticed a low flying helicopter with a spotlight shining all |
| Another embarrassing incident was told to me by my | | | | over the place. "Who or what could they be looking |
| wife, who had a friend named Michelle, and the story | | | | for," she thought to herself! |
| goes something like this. | | | | Huffing and puffing...she lumbered down the highway in |
| Stranded! | | | | the soft sand of the shoulder! She continued down the |
| It was about 9:00 in the evening, on a cold December | | | | highway, and she knew something was not right |
| night, and Michelle was on her way home from | | | | where she left the car! As she got closer, there were |
| attending a meeting at school. She was driving on the | | | | more flashing lights; traffic backed up; the sound of |
| outskirts of town where she lived, when she noticed | | | | barking dogs became louder; the helicopter flying low |
| and felt something was not right with the front end of | | | | overhead...what could be wrong? |
| the car! She didn't know if a tire was going to blow out | | | | After a few minutes, she finally reached the scene, |
| or just what the problem was, etc. | | | | and as she hurried across the highway...almost out of |
| So, she pulled off the highway to take a look. She got | | | | breath...she went up to the first police officer she saw |
| out of the car and went around to the passenger side | | | | and said, "Hello, officer...my name is Michelle...and that's |
| to check things out and she saw nothing unusual. So, | | | | my car parked over there! I locked myself out of the |
| she went back to get into the car to continue on her | | | | car; left the engine running and the headlights on, and |
| way home. There was only one problem. SHE | | | | went off to get help! IS THERE ANYTHING |
| LOCKED HERSELF OUT OF THE CAR! OOPS! | | | | WRONG? |
| Michelle had a big problem! She also left the engine | | | | Life's embarrassing moments! We all suffer from them! |
| running and the headlights on! WHAT TO DO? She | | | | If you have an embarrassing incident happen to you, |
| paced around the car, and couldn't think of anything to | | | | try to capture it on paper or on film. As the experts |
| do, except to break one of the windows to get in! But, | | | | say, having the ability to laugh at ourselves, at all the |
| she didn't want to do that, because her husband would | | | | crazy things we all do, CAN BE HEALTHY! |