This week was long and interesting. I found out last Saturday that an old and dear family friend had died. The news was not unexpected but, nonetheless, when I heard it it still made me sigh. Cathy was 83 and a fabulous and fun woman.
I always feel drawn to be with people in times of joy and in times of sadness. I need to physically be wherever the ceremony is, whether it be a party or a funeral. It is not always possible but I do try. So,last Tuesday I left work early and headed to NY to be with family and old friends. At Higgins (the only acceptable funeral home in New City according to Joan) I paid my respects and shared in the moment with old and young people. I took the time to look at the many pictures of a life very well lived and had to smile at the antics of people I have known all of my life portrayed in those photos. The silly factor was evident all over the place! My favorite photo of Cathy was of her wearing a party store tiara and smiling from ear to ear, her blue eyes twinkling!! It was a silly shot, but this lady enjoyed the silly times of life. She would joke and tease and was not afraid to be impulsive!! I love that. It helps balance out the times when you really do have to be a grown-up and deal with the serious issues of life.
I have a tendency to be silly. I love farce. I love comedy. I even love slapstick (but not the 3 Stooges, they were just stupid!--all the boys can now start disagreeing with me). Laverne and Shirley made me laugh out loud 35 years ago, the Broadway show "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was a never ending routine of silly from the time the curtain went up till the lights came back on. Watch "The Big Bang Theory" someday and you will have to laugh!!
All of this is to tell you that even though the week started with a silly picture of Cathy, it ended with a silly run down a school hallway. By me.
I have recently started to listen to a radio station that is really catering to the teens of State College. The DJ will do all sorts of things to involve the 11-18 year olds in the community. They visited our school for the spring dance and surprised the kids with 2 tickets to the Jonas Brothers concert and 2 tickets to the Carrie Underwood concert! This week the interns at the station were in the middle of a scavenger hunt all around town and it was broadcast live on Friday morning. The last challenge I heard was for any school who could to call in and give permission for the DJ to come in and do the school announcements. First school with the ok wins!! While in the parking lot of school I realized that no one had won this prize yet. I rushed into school, found the Media guy on bus duty, told him in about 15 words what I wanted to do, got his ok and then RACED down the hall to find a young teacher who planned the dance 'cause she had the phone # to call. I am racing down the hall way screaming her name, people are coming out of their rooms staring at me and when I get to her room I am told she is back the way I came in someone else's room....ahhhhhhh, I RACE back down the hall find the teacher, get the number, call the station, talk to the dj (live on the air) and we win!! I had a blast!
Soon the radio station interns are on the air delivering the announcements from our tv station, the kids are excited, and I have been proclaimed "the coolest teacher" by more than on student!!
Moral of this long story: dont hesitate to be silly, dont worry about making a fool of yourself, have fun, and live life. And if you have a tiara, wear it.
thanks for remembering Mrs tucker in your Blog, I missed the funeral and that made me sad, the tuckers were one of our first friends, and mrs. tucker will always be as a mother figure to me. we are older now but I still cried while reading this and that is a good thing I hope.
ReplyDeletethe families WE grew up with are really part of our family, I still have the scar from where nancy bit me on my back when we were 4 or so years old. wso the tuckers will always be a part of my life for sure.
and I think I am still trying to be like Steven the perfect one !!LOL