I taped it on the cabinet so we could read it often. Because 1) it is so true and 2) we had a good laugh the night David IV pulled it from his fortune cookie.
It was a year or so ago and we had take-out from Chen's, our friend Micheal's great restaurant in Shelby. We always enjoy everybody reading their fortune cookie words of wisdom and we always add a little fun to it.
This particular night David III was uncharacteristically sitting on the couch with David IV uncharacteristically sitting in the recliner. Jay and I were near the fireplace. It's important to note where we were sitting because I could see David IV in the recliner but David III was facing the other direction. As usual we had some kind of sports on TV.
I noticed, but David III did not, that David IV was breaking open his fortune cookie. He read it with great drama. "The wise thing to do is prepare for the unexpected."
David III, still looking at the TV, said in all seriousness, "What makes you say that?" I grinned and looked at David IV who went on another dramatic roll about why he would say that. Never mentioning the fortune cookie. It went on a for a few minutes until David III caught on and we all had a good laugh.
I guess you had to be there but it was a really funny moment. And all of the funniest things have a lot of truth to them.
There have been many times in our lives, and I know we are not alone, when things have been going along fine and dandy and then something totally unforeseen jumps up. These things can either knock you for a loop or you can try to make the best of it.
I am thankful that I grew up in a home where the emphasis was always on making the best of things. In fact, I've always thought of it as something of a challenge to try and figure out how to make "lemonade out of lemons". Like throwing down the gauntlet. We love a good challenge. And that's a really good thing because some of these events have been more difficult than others.
Dad and I were talking about this the other day when he said, "You know a lot of people think we live a fairy tale life, but we have had a good many challenges along the way." And then in his way he paused and said, "Well we have made it into a fairy tale most of the time."
I can think of many instances during my lifetime when I have observed Mom and Dad turning a challenge into a fairy tale. Some of those times are rather heavy, but one example was a great experience.
It was the time Daddy broke his arm so we all went to New York City.
This was during the 1963 World's Fair. Daddy was practicing dentistry at the time in Cliffside NC. When a dentist gets a broken arm there isn't much he can do. Like they say - a dentist is one half doctor and one half auto mechanic. You really need two hands to perform dental work.
So Mom and Dad decided it was a good time for a vacation and somehow they flew with all five of us, ages 7-14, to New York City. That trip was a hilarious experience and deserves a post of its own. But the point is that they took something they could have grumbled about and turned it into fun.
At my amazing book club our recent speaker made a similar point. The Literario Book Club is an eclectic group of women of all ages which has been meeting since 1944. I have been lucky to be a part of this group since 2000. Literario deserves a post of it's own too.
Last Thursday night, Literario met at my house with author Rose Senehi as our speaker. Rose deserves her own post as well. One story always leads to another but I'm trying to stick with a theme here.
Rose was talking to our group about her life and how she had several careers and then at age 56 wrote her first novel. Now in her 70's she is working on her 7th novel and is completely engrossed and excited about it. She is an inspiration. After hearing Rose speak someone commented, "Rose you have lived a charmed life".
Rose paused, much like Dad did, and softly said, "Yes, but I have worked hard at it. Sometimes you make your own luck."
How true that is. The best definition of luck that I have ever heard is that "luck is when opportunity and preparedness meet".
And the way to do that is to be prepared to deal with change. To see change as an opportunity not a roadblock. Those fortune cookies have it going on. Truly the wise thing to do is prepare for the unexpected.
We had such an opportunity this week. We have had a busy November with work, play, and comings and goings and all kinds of plans.
GWU basketball started off with a bang with the first preseason game at UNC-Chapel Hill. Jay is now a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs and was on the bench, not in uniform, but in a suit with a clipboard. I am so proud of how he is maturing and it was a real shift to see him in that role. It was also a shift for me to be in the Dean dome with my heart on the visitor's bench.
Marta was in town and it was fun to catch up with her in Shelby since the last time I had seen her in Dallas. Mary was in town too and it was a change for her to be in Shelby without having her mother and sister to visit. Carol was her host and they had a variety of experiences including craft night, Porter's play, and meeting Annie K who is walking across the US to promote peace. Annie K does have her own blog and thank heavens for that because I could never fully express the wonder of what she is trying to accomplish.
Mem had her sisters - Mom, Patsy, and Veva C - and my sisters over for lunch one day. The food was delicious but the conversation was even more delicious. We sat around her table for hours after lunch and laughed hearing stories of my mother and aunts growing up in Lattimore. A few of us couldn't make it and Cindy asked me to blog it. Honestly, some things you just have to be there. I don't think I could possibly capture it all but one thing is for sure. Knowing all of the sisters around that table and all of the challenges and sorrows that have come their way over the years, it is evident that all share a common character trait. They are prepared for the unexpected. Regardless of what happens they put one foot in front of the other. They move on. They keep going and most importantly they keep their sense of humor. Crowders laugh. A lot. And loud. It's just always fun to be with a group of Crowders.
So we were busy this week and then we had our own unexpected event. Which gave us an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. David IV broke his foot.
Our plan had been to fly to Dallas to visit with David before Thanksgiving and to see him in action at Cowboy Stadium. That was not to be. Much like a dentist with a broken arm, David needs two good feet to perform his duties at Cowboy Stadium.
So fortunately, KC was available to help him through the first few days of recovery and then, in a flurry of discussion and quick decision making and an afternoon of phone calls with American Airlines, we changed our flights to Dallas into David's flight home. Thank heavens for trip insurance.
So we missed a trip to Dallas and David is dealing with a broken foot for a few weeks but we will all be together for Thanksgiving!
Lemons to lemonade. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Jay and Max at the Dean Dome. GWU opened with UNC-CH and played a very repectable game. It was a new experience for Jay and for us to see him on the bench as a graduate asisstant. Ironically Jay played starting point guard in the Dean Dome as a senior in high school when Shelby High won the State Championship. It's a special experience to be there in both roles.
Another fun thing about the GWU-UNC game was for Luke (#4) and Jay (with Carolina Blue Tie!) to be on the same basketball floor again. Luke and Jay met through basketball and played together briefly at GWU. Our family think of Luke as one of us and we share some great memories including pizza, bbq, Joe's, and the Catalina. Jay and Luke will be friends wherever they each wind up and we look forward to more good times.
It's a great opportunity for Jay to experience basketball from a new perspective.
We had lunch at Mem's with Mama's sisters and some of my sisters. Mem is a great cook and hostess. There was no shortage of laughter at this table.
Carol hosted Craft Night when Mary was in town. Carol and Jim each made chili for the occasion. Beth and I were happy to help eat chili and make Angels from Okray. That okra is truly the most versatile plant. Since Carol, Mary and Beth each have daughters they had a lot more experience with craft night than I did. My sons' crafts usually involved some type of sport.
Here is my first Angel Christmas Ornament make of okra, cotton bolls and craft stuff that the mothers with daughters taught me about. My artist friend, Pat, makes these and sells them at Broad River Gallery in Shelby. Making them is really fun but quite the long process. I recommend buying one from Pat. They are a bargain.
My one and only craft is making these Turkey heads for a fun Thanksgiving centerpiece. I saw this idea 20 years ago at the Southern Christmas show and now every year it seems I make a dozen or so. This year we added this idea to craft night at Carol's. Mary said there are now Turkey Heads popping up all over Florida. My next door neighbor, Van, let me borrow magnolia leaves from his tree for the nest. Actually he was out of town, but I'm sure he didn't mind. Because he said so when I posted the pic on facebook. Social media keeps you honest.
David IV is recovering from his broken foot. A little TLC will hopefully have him back at work in Dallas soon. Note the chocolate chip cookie on his shoulder. Mawmaw's chocolate chip cookies can cure most everything. David called it emergency medical relief.
On the way home from the airport in SC, we decided to take David on a nostalgic tour of Wofford's campus. This beautiful ginko tree was in it's full majesty reminding us that we should never pass up an opportunity to cherish the beauty and diversity of nature. As always, we count our blessings.
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