Thursday, March 31, 2011

THEY LAUGHED

A long, long time ago there was a loving, newly wed couple who was quite economically challenged. Though employed, they were underpaid and they had barely enough money to cover their basic needs. Entertainment consisted of walks, movies (which were 25 cents on the airforce base, where the husband was an airman) and visits with friends. Once a month, they splurged on fried chicken and a coke. This seemed like a tremendous luxury. They lived in the tiniest of trailers, possibly intended for a very tiny people. (It was not a mobile home, or a manufactured home like some people have now.) There was always laughter in the tiny trailer, especially when either of them tried to use the bathroom, because the little toilet, faced the sink, which was so close, there was hardly space to sit. They kidded about being able to brush their teeth and use the toilet at the same time. Once, on April Fool's Day, as a joke, the husband put Vaseline on the toilet seat and the wife almost broke her teeth on the sink when she slid. They laughed and laughed. They also thought it was really funny how they had decorated the place with plastic curtains and a plastic table cloth. But, they thought it made it homey and cute. They both loved people. Although they had little money, sometimes they invited friends over to eat and share a plate of spaghetti made with ground meat (3 lbs. for $1.00). Whenever anyone dropped by, they offered whatever they had - Kool Aide, coffee or, if things were really scarce, at least some water. One day, in an effort to demonstrate his love, the husband picked some flowers from the ground and gifted them to his wife. She was so happy that she kissed him profusely in gratitude for his love and thoughtfulness. She then put them in a glass of water (She had no vase.) and admired them. A while later, some friends dropped in. They laughed and laughed at the flowers. The loving couple, who had been raised in the inner city, had no idea that not all flowers were considered real. The friends laughingly informed that what was in the glass was a collection of worthless weeds. The couple's joy wilted for a few seconds. Then they both saw the joke of their poverty, shrugged their shoulders, and they laughed and laughed.

13 comments:

  1. Naturaly, after I pressed the button and reread this post, I found some typos and mispellings. Please forgive.

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  2. This is a beautiful story of a truly wise and wealthy young couple Myrna....rich in love and joy and aware of their blessings.

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  3. smiles. i am glad they could laugh...and you know i bet a lot of good memories were made...at least they were when we were there...

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  4. this was my first read after a long absence from blogging - it made me feel safe and happy. Love at its max!! Thanks for this story. Big hug!

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  5. I'm only recently back to blogging as well and this was so sweet and warm! I laughed with a friend recently over our lacks of funds because, really, we both have very rich lives, just with very little money. So good to read your stuff again!! I've missed you.

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  6. So, Myrna...is this lovely story about you and your hubby? Reading it made me happy, too. Love and laughter always see people through hard times. Thanks for sharing. (oh, the weeds reminded me of when a child brings his mommy a bunch of "flowers"....dandelions!

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  7. Beautiful, is this your own memories I wonder.;) A post that speaks volumes to me as I could not agree more with the sentiments expressed here.
    At all times in my life I have experienced the greatest happiness when I had no money at all. Happiness has very little to do with anything else but that which is inside everyone of us. We all carry the greatest treasures within.;))
    I saw no spelling mistakes.;)
    Have a great Friday,
    xoxo

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  8. Myrna: A lovely example of how happiness does not depend on any external manifestations. True happiness is devoid of any external trappings. I wish they remain so throughout: happy and joyous.

    I wish you a lovely April with abundance of joy and peace, dear Myrna :)

    ~ Susan

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  9. It is good to have a good companion to help transform such moments into laughter.

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  10. What a beautiful story - reminds us to love what we have and not waste a life longing for more :-)

    Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers

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  11. All flowers are weeds unless we say to the contrary. Love turns weeds into orchids and plastic into silk. Laughter turns trailers into mansions. This was a very lucky couple.

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  12. Myrna - What a delightful story! How we can be happy on so little if our hearts are in the right place. :)

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  13. a plant is a plant
    a flower is a flower
    weediness is a plant thought to be in the wrong place
    if they chose them the plant was in the right place

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