I grew up hearing the old saying, “Don’t cry over spilt milk.” Have you heard this saying? I like that it is referring to our attitude regarding situations we have absolutely no control over, milk or anything else. Well, the other day I didn’t cry over spilt milk but I sure did laugh. My dad is a gardener, farmer, etc. Well, he also has a small herd of goats. Kind of weird and funny, I know, but also kind of cool. Anyway, goats give milk just like cows do and it is very delicious and nutritious and we drink it. And just a side note, my dad milks goats as he is getting older and goats are much smaller and easier to manage than his previous dairy cows. So, I tell myself that this goat business of his kind of makes sense. Right?
Anyway, one recent Sunday afternoon my cute niece was delivering milk from the farm and dropped it off at my house. I was busily cutting my boy’s hair in the kitchen and my niece sat down to visit at the counter along with the milk, which seems safe enough, right. Well, just a little history on the counter includes the fact that the counter top somehow became disconnected from the cabinet it sits on a few months back and we haven’t fixed it, yet. My bad, but you see, you can’t tell by just looking at it so I naturally put it off. I’m great at procrastination! Well, I know you can imagine where this is going! So my niece, very unsuspecting, leans up on the counter (which seems like a normal thing to do) to let someone pass behind her and BAM, the counter top immediately lifts off, arches up like a rainbow, and catapults the 2 quart glass milk jar into the air, sending it flying until gravity took over causing it to fall, both the counter top back in place and the milk, not in its place but to the floor, CRASH! Milk and glass and hair from the boys haircuts was everywhere, and I mean everywhere! It happened so fast, was so loud and surprising that I let out a very hysterical laugh, actually a blat, like a goat, which is fitting! It was so funny and I just couldn’t help myself. There was a mess. Actually a disaster. I could have yelled or screamed, which is quite typical of my normal behavior, but surprisingly instead I laughed! My niece instead started to cry as she thought she had just caused an earthquake and broke my counter top, and yet I just laughed.
This silly little situation has turned into quite a joyful moment for me. You see, I didn’t cry over the spilt milk. I didn’t scream and holler. Instead, I hugged my adorable niece, who didn’t quite know what had just happened to her. She was scared quite spitless, thought she was in big trouble, but we just laughed together. Because I didn’t cry or get upset, I now have this quite silly and joyful moment to share. If I had cried or yelled, it wouldn’t be quite so funny. And guess what, now others can laugh over the spilt milk, too! I hope you too can find a way to laugh over your “spilt milk” adventures!