Levity

So I've been told that my posts are, at times, rather depressing. It's so incredibly strange, but it's the melancholy that inspires me to write which explains blog posts, many sermons, and most songs that I write and that I am drawn to. I'm not a down person, and I think I'm quite optimistic, but I do love gray sky days and driving in the rain.

But I'm trying to tell myself to force something happy today. So I'll relay a story that makes me laugh.

So Olivia (grade 1) comes home from school and she had sat through a anti-smoking session at some point during the day. She was informed about the ills of the tobacco industry and was coached on how to say no if someone offers her a cigarette. She didn't mention anything about saying no to cigars or chew so I'm on the lookout for the telltale lump in her cheek and making sure she doesn't get that princess spittoon she's been asking for.

Two days later, we're all sitting outside a Shopper's Drug Mart waiting for Julie when Olivia starts talking about how bad smoking is for you. So being a good counselor I initiated a little role play. "Hey Olivia", I said. "Would you like a cigarette?"

"No thanks."

"C'mon. It's cool to smoke."

"No, thank you. I don't want to smoke."

Everything had gone as she had been coached until her sister piped up.

"Dad. I'll take a cigarette."

Olivia freaks out at this point. "No, Grace! You don't want to smoke! Dad, she wants to smoke!"

I attempted to reassure my little zealous lobbyist that Grace was just joking around.

"Ok, Dad. Now I'll try to get you to smoke. Hey Dad, would you like a cigarette."

"No thank you", I promptly responded.

"C'mon! Everybody smokes. Just one?"

"No, Olivia. I do not want to smoke."

Then in the way that only Grace can make a statement: "Um, Dad. I would like a cigarette."

I couldn't contain myself. I'm laughing, Grace is not so sure what is so funny but she is smiling none the less and my eldest is fearing that her 4 year old sister should switch to Nicorette during Sunday mornings. It was a wonderful moment.

Now don't get used to this. But perhaps once in a while it would do me good just to lighten up.

Or maybe I should go light up...