Too much of a good thing is simply wonderful.
That quote is stitched on a decoration at my husband’s aunt and uncles home. I make sure to read it every Sunday when we are there for lunch. It’s become a mantra of mine.
In a house full of teenagers, I’m running out of time to be their faithful taxi. This fact makes me sad. One recent morning, I was thrilled to get the chance to drive the two youngest to their activity. I jumped in the driver’s seat, ready to have a deep, meaningful chat – only to be surprised with sleepy, gloomy passengers. Especially the one in the front seat who looks like me. The boy in the back seat was in full support of shutting down my happy as well. Which led me to ramp up the cheese-factor, attempting to crack into the crabby moods.
I realized the only thing left to do was to play Rock Out –Freeze Out, or the Texas summer version Rock Out-Sweat Out. Naturally, I choose the song “Cake”, cranked up and played on repeat, to sweeten the sour boys up a little. I have a tender spot for that song, it’s like Flo Rida sings the lyrics with my sweet tooth in mind, “I didn’t come here to party, I only came for the cake.” Dance moves followed. After a few eye rolls, the smiles emerged behind the looks of annoyance. When we arrived at their destination, my blonde boy gently said, “You take good songs that we like and ruin them.”
Anyone who has ridden in a car with me long enough, would agree. My current, favorite song is usually blasted on repeat. Over and over the lyrics flow into my ears. A few years ago, some of us girlfriends took a trip to Cape Cod. I can’t hear Blurred Lines without smiling and thinking of that trip, or my friend Vanessa yelling, “IF I HEAR THAT SONG ONE MORE TIME, I’M GOING TO JUMP OUT OF THIS CAR.” She still gets a little cranky when hearing it. I just like to soak up the goodness with my ear biscuit. Every last drop.
I’ve heard that good things come in small doses, but why? If I could gather up my favorite people and move them into our neighborhood, I would be happier than a bird with a French fry. I’d expand our HOA deed restrictions to include a Joe T Garcia’s, Casey’s favorite sushi restaurant, Pizza Hut with only thin crust pizza, Anthropologie, an animal sanctuary, trampoline park, and a lazy river. Every house would have a dock to the lazy river and in the evening, we would just float around from friend to friend. I’d have a rockin’ community club house and send an invite to Bo and Luke Duke anytime we had a party. (Circa 80’s version)
Too much of a good thing is simply wonderful. Because we know how life works right? Not to get all doomsday on you, but we can’t really expect for things to always be perfect. So, in the peaks and valleys of our journey, why wouldn’t we want to savor the good while it’s here?
We have enough hardship in our lives, even the happiest and luckiest of folks. Sometimes the bottom just falls out and no one is exempt. On those days, I’m drawn to people who lighten the dark enough that it’s livable. And sometimes those who lighten the dark enough that it can even sometimes be laughable. God has been gracious in placing people in our lives who act out His love in tangible ways. Make a habit to look for His light bringers.
Shine the light on others too. Help lighten their load, love on them through the hard days. Remind them that sunshine is right around the corner. If they have truly experienced something so tragic that you can’t comprehend, don’t search for empty words…just be with them and love their hurting hearts.
Find the light, and bathe in it often. Especially if it’s in your fantasy neighborhood’s lazy river.