Laugh out Loud!

I already wrote a piece about my mother, talking about various life lessons she taught me, but I realized something. She taught me a lot in general, that's true, but she always had these sayings when we were growing up that actually taught me some pretty valuable lessons as well.

~If you assume, you make an ass out of you and me~

This eventually really got me thinking. If I assume that someone is a certain way, then, I not only close myself off, I turn us both into a-holes. It's okay to give people the benefit of the doubt most of the time and it's better not to judge someone based on the way they look or what someone else may have said about that person. And, besides, who wants to willingly be an ass? There's a small percentage of people that actually enjoy that lifestyle. The rest of us generally just want to get along.

It's best not to be so judgemental in life. You wouldn't want to miss out on someone or something great. Be nice and take chances!

~Tough titty said the kitty when the milk ran dry~

I remember being a young child and really trying to pick this sentence apart. I was so baffled by this string of words. I knew what my mom meant, of course, but I couldn't figure out the connection. Anyway, for those of you who don't know what this means, here's an example:

My much younger self, speaking in a high-pitched whine: I really want to do this, though! Mom this just isn't fair!

Mom: tough titty said the kitty when the milk ran dry.

So, it pretty much means 'oh well' or 'too bad' or 'tough'. But it was such a good thing that she taught me because it showed me how to be okay with what was going on right now. Sometimes things don't always work the way we want them to, but that's okay. In the end, I'll be okay.

~What's for dinner?~

My mother did not like answering this question (she has five kids and every single one of us would ask her this on most nights). So, instead of getting bothered with us for asking all the damn time, she decided to have fun with it.

"What's for dinner, mom?" I'd saunter my way into the kitchen where she was.

"Poop on a stick." she'd smile at me big.

I'd laugh for a little, "But, really, mom, what's for dinner?"

"That is really what we're having for dinner. Is that not what you wanted?" she would look at me all surprised for a moment.

"Ugh! Mom, why can't you ever just give me a straight answer?!" and I'd stomp off.

This was actually a fun way she got through this. But, no matter how hungry I was, dinner was going to be ready when it was ready. She wasn't going to answer our demanding questions because it really didn't matter. We were going to get what we were going to get when we were going to get it. And that was really the bottom line. This, funny enough, taught me how to be more patient in life.

~If you're bored, you're boring~

Every kid goes through that feeling when they're younger. It's the weekend or summer break and there is just nothing to do. Nobody to hang out with, no games to play, nothing exciting going on at all. And I would try complaining to my mom.

"Ugh, mom, I'm so bored!" I'd exclaim.

"If you're bored, you're boring," she'd reply.

And it would shock me that she would say such a thing. "I'm not boring!"

She'd snicker, "You are if you're bored."

It was such a simple way to get me to entertain myself because I really didn't want to be boring. It actually really bothered me that she'd say that to me. So, I picked myself up and found something to do. Her saying this gave me the motivation to do something interesting and, therefore, become interesting, myself.

~Your freckles come from the sun.~

I have a lot of freckles all over my face, arms, legs... well, everywhere, to be honest. And it would actually really baffle me as to why I had so many and where they all came from when I was a young child. So, I would ask my mom (because moms know the answers to everything), "Where did my freckles come from, mom?"

Her response was always the same, "Every morning before you wake up, the sun kisses you. That's why you have so many."

It was so simple, so sweet and it made me feel special. I know it sounds a little silly because your mom is the one who is always making you feel like you shine so bright. Sometimes, it hasn't always felt that way, but that tiny and sweet memory has given me the confidence throughout my younger years that I really did matter and that I was somewhat extraordinary.

I mean, the sun came to kiss me in particular.

Anyway, I am sure there was more stuff said by her that was funny and sweet, but these were the main ones that I got told during my younger years and they are permanently in my brain. These little idioms or sayings really did help me understand myself and who I want to be, at least, partially.

The last thing that I learned from these various sayings in my childhood, that underlies the meaning of them all is that it's always better to laugh and have fun. Don't take life too seriously and just enjoy yourself.

My mother definitely kept my childhood interesting and she made sure that humor was a very prominent emotion in our household. Now, as a mother myself, I want my son's life to be full of laughter, too. And, so far, so good. I'm proud to be the mother of a happy child and I'm so grateful for the lessons taught to me by my mother.

If you enjoyed reading this, please, consider giving me a heart.

Thank you so much. I hope you had fun reading about these quirky memories.