Rx: Relax

I recently found this note for me

after a particularly long day.

The handwriting threw me

but I knew who it had to be from.

I found the person it was from,

who would not reveal their scribe.

I was so touched by the repentance

and impressed by the wisdom in the advise for me.

******

Fast forward another week

I do not recall what warranted this

but again I was overjoyed by the concern and compassion.

When I asked how the writer of the note knew about relaxing deeply,

they simply walked across the kitchen and grabbed this:

This is my favorite cup as of late.

I won it on New Years Eve, at a great party,

during a roaring game that mostly consisted of White Elephant Gifts as payoffs.

When it was my birthday month, I broke my resolve to NOT walk up in front

of a ton of people I do not know, grab a gift, open it and display item ala Vannah White.

I was really surprised by the gift bags content which helped me relax

as I held up the large container of Avon Skin So Soft and exclaimed that

we use this to make fly spray for our horses.

What I really had my eye on though was this cup and the Chai teabag inside,

not to mention a lovely, fragrant candle.

If this is white elephant, bring on the birthday!

So, do you think I am the only one who loved this gift?? Right.

A fun, dear woman who I went to church with in the past was sitting

and was she ever eye spying that cup.

Problem (for me) was that HER birthday was AFTER mine.

When it is your turn, you may go upfront and have everyone stare at you as you try

to choose what appears to be the best wrapped gift OR steal from someone. Uh huh.

She did it. That churchlady STOLE my gift bag!

Up I go again, in front of all America and grabbed the closest thing to me.

I couldn't even describe what it was when I opened it for I didn't know.

Some small children began making noises and I overheard something bout

a storage box for ? some weird microscopic plastic toys that I'd never heard of.

I kicked it out far in front of my seat whenever someone walked by

looking for something worthy of stealing.

Right.

I resigned myself to the fact that my gift was in the hands of someone I knew and liked

and a tea drinker to boot.

Then.

My husband, not even playing, hiding under a rock in the corner

with the 3 childrenwho would rather eat skunk than be in front of a crowd,

STOOD UP for for June birthdays,

marched over to churchlady,

picked up the gift bag and PLANTED IT IN MY LAP.

That folks, is L.O.V.E.

My baby, just placed in my arms. 

Someone announces the Right, Left game.

Short of it, is that someone was going read a story about the "Right" family.

 Whenever the words right or left were said,

everyone was going to pass their gift in that direction.

Not THIS one. Not me. Uh uh.

My thoughts were racing-

feign sick and run for the van,

stuff the gift bag in my Kelty bag and my pass my makeup bag around instead,

jump up (with bag), run to one of my children and envelope them

as though they are hurt or sick

(whispering into their ear to hold my bag while I go potty).

NOTHING was out of the question.

My panic engulfs me. The story begins.

Right, left. Right, right, right, left, right.

Hope awakens! It could come back around to me.

I am quickly brought back out of my schizoid quest,

my mind cleared in the midst of this hilarious game.

This was seriously fun.

When the story ended churchlady and I exchanged laughs,

I'm certain she felt superior with her hand made chair cushions

as she watched me force a smile while counting out the set of used

Aristocat tree ornaments.

Out of the crowd, Solomon appeared, gift bag in hand.

<"Daddy ended up with it" he nonchalantly mentioned

as he took the Aristocats and ran.

Where.is.churchlady?