Yesterday started early and went on late into the night. I am so pooped (that starts with P, that rhymes with T, that stands for tired!*). It was a day filled with lots of food, and relatives and cats on every surface. Too much food. Too many gifts. But, never too many cats. Never.
This year we revived a game my husband’s mother and aunt used to play. They would each give the other a “What is it?” gift, a thing-a-ma-jig whose purpose was unknown for the receiver to try and figure out.
I have a really cool uncle who often gets short shrift, as he’s quieter than the rest of our boisterous crew. It was once said of our family gatherings, if you want to get a word in edgewise, best ride in on a unicycle while using a bullhorn. I decided to make the “What is it?” game a new tradition with everyone invited to bring something with which to stump Uncle Doug, really just a means of getting the spotlight to shine on him.
He took to being the center of attention just as I had hoped he would! His smile through out made me happier than any of the day’s gifts. We gave him an adjustable, locking, brass bovine nose ring to identify. This do-hickey that could easily have been picked up, eliciting only the question of whether it was recyclable or trash, turned into 15 minutes where everyone, from every generation attempted to figure it out and to convince everyone else that their guess was the best. We Googled guesses until someone (ok, me) got it right.
Often there’s so much more to an object, event, interchange, moment, if we just bother to notice.
Smile. Be Happy.
Ruth
P.S.: The cats were not too excited about their surprise from Santa. Seems 40 toilet paper rolls in an empty tub is not better than 1.
*Can you name the musical? Music Man