Generally speaking, life is pretty happy for me. A few years ago I remember making the decision to be joyful. Willfully joyful. Basically, I was going to choose joy every single day. Some days are hard but they’re not always impossible and if I try hard enough I can find something to be joyful about. For example, even though I was running late to work this morning I sat at a stoplight next to a car with a little boy in the back who played peek-a-boo with me. He leaned forward and smiled. I leaned back to hide from him and then popped out again only to see him giggle. My mind imagined what that giggle sounded like because our windows were rolled up, but we kept up this game until the light turned green and his mom, who had turned around to see what he was laughing at, smiled at me through the window.
I’m pretty lucky to have started my day like that and it’s just now occurred to me to choose that as a moment of joy.
My graduating class has decided not to have a separate 20 year reunion because there are some organizers putting on an All School Reunion this October. It’s made me really sad to know that we won’t get to do something special just for us and one of my best friends, Tammy, decided to invite me to her 20 year reunion. Since it was local and I knew about 5 other classmates of hers who ended up going to college with us I decided to go. Unfortunately, I was a bit sidelined.
I’ve got this unfortunate knee injury right now. It came on suddenly this past Saturday and I limped around all day. I even had to miss a live recording of gospel music for my friend Jamar who had asked me to take pictures for him. The pain was getting to be a bit too much when I called Tammy to ask if she had an Ace bandage I could borrow.
“Some things are more important, Kelly. Why don’t you go to a prompt care facility?”
“Nah. It’ll be ok. I’ll go to the doctor on Monday. Really.”
She argued with me for a bit and then we decided that I would go to the reunion dinner and if I felt worse she’d take me home. Of course, I didn’t want her to do that and miss her own party, so no matter what I was going to stick it out. Plus, I really wanted to play through on the joke we created about me putting “Bruce” on my nametag and pretending to be some former football player who had a sex change just to see if anyone from her graduating class would be freaked out.
Tammy is totally my partner in crime on pranks and even if no one else thought this was funny we were getting some mileage out of the joke.Â
When we sat down to dinner I chatted with the folks at the table and eventually moved around to sit by a woman in a red dress named Rachel. Before sitting, I asked, “Hey, is the leg under this portion of the table? Because my knee is all banged up and I don’t want to have to straddle it.” Rachel instantly asked what was wrong and I sat down and lifted up the bottom part of my dress to show her my knee.
She proceeded to take my leg and put it in her lap. She pushed on either side of my knee and asked me if that hurt. She grabbed my calf muscle and questioned me again: “Does this hurt?” At this point, I leaned back in my seat and peered at her with furrowed brows, “Exactly what is it that you DO?”
“I’m a physican in family practice.”
“OH, THANK GOD. YOU JUST PUT MY LEG ALL UP IN YOUR LAP AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE FEELING ME UP.”
She spent the next half hour talking to me about my recent exercise routines (Jillian Michaels’ “Shred”) and how I started running more lately (Remember to S-T-R-E-T-C-H) and what I could do to help these sore tendons. This isn’t really a story about meeting a doctor at a class reunion that wasn’t mine. It was actually about Rachel (whom I have dubbed “Dr. Sunshine”) and watching her find joy.
Rachel only spent 2 years at this particular high school and the one she transferred from was very close to the one I graduated from and we were bound by this connection. But really? This was also about how hard it was for her to change schools in her junior year of high school and also how she totally blossomed since that time. She was the first one requesting songs from the dj and she danced her ass off that night. It dawned on me that I couldn’t take my eyes off of her because she was having SO. MUCH. FUN. Everything about her was filled with joy. Anytime someone came to dance she happily made room on the dance floor and no matter what the song she had every intention of having a blissful time.Â
Maybe I can’t always find the joy right away but I’m reminded that I have to make room on the dance floor for other people to help me find it.Â
Thanks for the Rx, Dr. Sunshine.
Just so we are clear YOU were my Dr. SUNSHINE two weeks ago..
that is all..
Raquita
How wonderful!
Just because she was a doctor doesn’t mean she wasn’t feeling you up. It could be a win, win situation.
I have to tell you I was a big skeptic but here is what worked for me. It is called Bowen therapy and is done by a naturopath.It is gentle and it works on knees and backs and ankles like a hot damn. It was my last hope of relief after chronic pain in the knee and it worked. It has been a couple of years now and still fine.
Love this.
And hope your knee is on the mend!
Lori! What is this Bowen stuff?
See, now I’m off to check with my second favorite doctor, WebMD.
p.s. the knee is definitely on the mend, thanks!
Fine post!
I actually went to see a traditional acupuncturist but when he checked me over he decided Bowen therapy was the best course of treatment. Like I say I don’t go for all the magical healing stones or any of that stuff.
He basically put pressure on different spots like my hip, my knee, my ankle. A deep breath in, he pushes for a couple seconds and rolls his hand off I lie quiet for a few minutes and then he does it again in a different spot. I swear I am not easily influenced but it worked when nothing else did for two years.
Just stay away from Dr. Payne, Dr. Hurtsalot and Dr. Fuckyouintheasswithatonguedepressor.
OMG! I knew we were kindred spirits. I went to my husband’s reunion & he all but abandoned me. People would walk up & say I can’t remember your name. Then I would say I didn’t go to their HS. That pretty much ended the conversation. That got boring so I started saying I weighed 300 lbs. in HS and that’s why they couldn’t place me. Then I added “and you weren’t very nice to me.” I had so much fun with that I said that I was a guy in HS. That raised some eyebrows. Of course it was Catholic HS.
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
Hey Kelly –
Wow! I had a great car experience this morning, too. From way down the block I could see that there was a woman on the sidewalk who appeared to be dancing. Not swaying and bee-bopping her head. I mean full-on dancing, arms up in the air dancing, revival tent dancing. And as I’m getting closer to where she is, I’m thinking maybe she’s been released from somewhere way too soon.
But then as the traffic got out of my way and I got even closer, I could see that she was a runner with an IPOD waiting at the intersection for the light to change. And I immediately loved her. Because, hey, I’ve been there (always sans IPOD), but I always kind of half-heartedly lifting my feet up and down and kind of grumbling because all these lazy people in cars are getting to move and I — the runner — have to stay still. But this woman wasn’t going to let a red light or a bunch of traffic stomp her joy. She was DANCING!
She probably doesn’t know or wouldn’t care that I saw her, but what a great teacher she was this morning.
So thank you joyful people. You have no idea how good you are for the world.
Hope your knee gets better. Couldn’t we all use a Dr. Sunshine? I know I could!
I don’t know, I feel a little sunnier whenever I see your face. ALWAYS make room for me on your dance floor, k?
Is it bad that I can’t stop smiling or imagining that dancing runner, Rodd? That was a great story. You painted a beautiful picture.
The knee? IS BETTER TODAY.
I might get back to my workout tomorrow. So long as someone kicks me in the ass to do it.
This post has made me joyful.
I have to know, did anything come of the Bruce nametag prank?
Rachel sounds like a wonderful woman.
I love that you both find joy in your lives. I need to work on that myself. Lately, I’m snapping at everyone in the house. It’s so easy for me to get consumed with all the crap that needs to be done. Instead I could be enjoying my family and the impeding birth of this baby.
Kate! I forgot to come back and tell you about that!
Everyone strained their neck to see who I was and when they read “Bruce” they just looked more and more confused. But no one actually came up to me and ask me.
Maybe it’s that 300 pound husky look I’ve got. Even in a dress.
Hilarious! I’m not sure I would have been able to resist asking …