Harold, Kumar and Cutner

See that title? Means nothing.

Anyhoo...

You know there are really very few joys in life anymore.

I hate to be one of those senior ladies (I am not talking to you, Granny. Everyone knows you are not a senior) who stands up in church and says, "I'd just like to thank Jesus for another day, because every time I turn on the news it's another sad story and I just think this world is coming to an end," and then everyone in the pews beside me and in front of me all shake their heads in both agreement and disgust at the news media and give me a clap as a vivid reminder that they are altogether joined with me in mutual understanding.

But y'all, I would really would like to thank Jesus for another day because seriously, every time I turn on the news it's another sad story and I just think this world is coming to an end.

Oops. I have become the very thing I despise.

The next thing you know my stockings will fall down just below my knees and I'll be in line for the KFC buffet every evening at 4:45PM.

I am creature of habit. And every morning at 7:20, once a bottle is in a mouth and sippy cup of chocolate milk is in two little hands I turn on the TODAY show. I do not watch FOX, I will not change to GOOD MORNING AMERICA and don't even get me started on CBS. I watch Matt and Meridith, I do not agree with half of what they say but they are family now - and just like family I roll my eyes at their musings but am intrigued by their stories.

But every day the stories get worse. First it was the gas prices, then Wall Street, then that paparazzi guy pushed Bernie Madoff and I wasn't sure who I wanted to go up in flames more, then there was that lady and the chimp and the chimps owner who gave it a Vicadin for the love of pete, then another kidnapping, another earthquake, and etc. and etc. and etc.

It's enough to make you enjoy the really really simple things, isn't it?

Take tonight for instance. We were having dinner out when Remi decided she would like some birthday cake. And a birthday song. And a gift or two would be nice.
"But, Remi, it's not your birthday."
"Yes, momma and I need birthday cake."
"Remi, your birthday isn't for a month. We'll eat cake then."
"Momma, just get me cake now. For my birthday. And a song."
"But Remi..."
Insert prince on white horse.
"Excuse me miss, could we have four desserts for the table. It's my little girls birthday."
"Oh, yes sir. I'll be right back."

And just like that the AG orders 4 slices of cake for he and I, Remi and Meridith; and just like that we place her cake in front of her and sing "Happy Birthday" unabashed and unashamed in the middle of a restaurant, to a little girl who still has six weeks to go.

Becuase sometimes a girl just needs a little cake.

And sometimes a song does a world of good.

Today as we were driving home we were bumper to bumper in traffic. It was pouring down rain and we were crawling along. Suddenly we noticed that directly to our left was the littlest black hatchback we'd ever seen, carrying what might have been the biggest driver we'd ever seen. His shoulders must have stretched from one window to the other. But that wasn't what caught our eye. It was the fact that every time traffic stalled he picked up a blue recorder and began to play. My eyes had to be deceiving me - surely he was smoking with some kind of fancy paraphernalia. But nope. He was playing a recorder. (The same kind my best friend Nicole used to play "It's Beginning to Rain" in Sunday night church when we were in 6th grade.)
A blue recorder.
And he played it with pride.
Even as the two imbeciles next to him (that would be us) laughed so hard tears rolled down our cheeks.
Still he played.

He didn't see us laughing. Though I doubt he would have cared. He found joy. Even in the oddest of places. Interstate 65, 5 o'clock traffic and a blue recorder.

See? Little joys.

Sometimes it's cake, sometimes it's a song sung to you by those you love the most, sometimes it's a blue recorder, and sometimes it's just the simple reminder that joy can be found to your left, your right, or right in front of your eyes.

Seen any lately?