Monday, June 26, 2006

"Following the Special Musical Number, We'll Hear From Brad Dalton"

Okay, so I'm sitting on the stand filling in for Sister Boothe as the conducter (a whole 'nother story let me tell ya!) and Brad Dalton is just starting his talk on living a joyful life. He makes a good point when he quotes someone-or-other in saying that living a joyful life is probably the commandment we neglect the most. He goes on to say that we let the worries of the world interfere our thoughts too much. At school, or at work, or even at home we are always worrying. He works at the YMCA, with little kids. He quickly explains this and says, (and I quote): "Ya know, we worry about everything. We think to ourselves, 'we can't lose a kid, or let them get sunburned.'"

I see through the heads Julia Conti sitting next to her mom. She sees me. I have a clear shot. I'm taking it.

"Lose a kid?" I mouth slightly while making a face reminiscent of Levi's 'You said what?' expression. Julia covers her face with her hands, but I can see her body is shaking with laughter.

The talk continues. It's good. Really good. I listen, and get a lot out of it. I feel pretty safe and secure right now, but then another attack is made available - oh, so available.

Brad says something about how joy may be seen externally, but it's "not an external emotion. It's not, like, a nosebleed."

WHAT?! This is too good to be true! I know I shouldn't have done it, but could you have kept from chuckling just a little bit? NO! I didn't make any noise above an Uncle Steve laugh. (For those of you that don't know, that's just breathing quietly but rapidly through your nose.) I did get a bit of a grin on my face though, and again, Julia saw me, though she tried to avoid my silent, ever-ready, cursed wit.

"Nosebleed?" I jiggled.

Really, it was a great talk, and I told him so afterwards. But in all seriousness, who likens joy in ANY WAY to a nosebleed?!

1 comment:

ML said...

MALLORY!