MEMORY

This morning, I was reminded of a childhood memory when I looked in the mirror. My mother would often warn me as a child not to go backwards down the stairs because I might fall.

I was probably around the age of 9; I had been outside playing, and decided to go home. When I arrived home, I walked in the kitchen and saw my mother and her sister seated at the kitchen table. After I spoke to them both, I asked my mom if I could get a snack, then I told her I was going downstairs to watch TV. Well, as usual, I decided to walk backwards down the stair. Then it happened, I fell.

My mother and her sister swiftly stood up and looked at me at the bottom of the stairs. My mother asked, “what happened.” I said, "I was walking backwards down the stairs." She replied, "Didn't I tell you to stop doing that because you might fall? Now see, you finally did it, you fell down the steps." Now, picture this, I’m sitting on the floor crying, and she doesn’t even come down the stairs. They just looked at me, laughed and returned to the kitchen table.

Alright, I know; she would have come down the stairs if I had been hurt. So, I got up with snack in hand, turned on the TV, and sat up on the couch.

After some time had passed, my sister joined me and we watched TV together. Then all of a sudden, we heard a noise, clothes landed on the floor and then came my mother. I'm not sure what happened to me, but I simply burst out and laughed. You know that laugh when you’re laying all on the person next to you, and you can hardly breath. Well, that was me, I just could not stop. What I didn’t realize, was that my sister was frozen in time. I guess she thought I had gone crazy!

My mother looked at me, and said, “what in the hell is wrong with you, you thought that was funny?” Then I said, with a laugh, “you laughed at me when I fell down the stairs.” After those words left my mouth, my sister unfroze and quickly left the room. My mom stood up, and let me say this, if looks could kill, I would have dropped dead that day. But her look didn’t stop me from laughing. She picked up the clothes, said I was crazy, and went to the laundry.

After my mother regrouped; she told me, the reason she didn't slap the hell out of me was because it would have been considered child abuse, and once she got on my ass, only God could have saved me. Let’s just say, I never made that mistake again.

Years later my mom and I still laugh at that particular moment.

So, think of a funny memory from your childhood and laugh until you can't breathe. This will help you let go of all the bad energy, and be grateful for today because tomorrows are not promised. Learn to laugh, love and live.