When Things Go Bad, The Story's Get Good

What is it about us? How come we smile about things like the thought of an large angry Nun sliping and falling down a flight of stairs carrying a tray of cookies and milk? The noise, the scream, breaking of glass, oh, and don't forget the clanging of the metal tray, just horrible! Oh but come on now, How many just thought, "Oh the poor thing!" ? Well,,,My daughter did, but she was smiling too.

Story telling is a big part of my world. It certainly has to do with being brought up in a town where we spent hours in the woods with friends. Making story's or telling them.
Recall is what I think is the reason we remember our past. Telling stories can change the truth for a far more colorful and interesting story then what we really want to remember. Remember that "history" is really His Story. The simple facts usually don't cut it or hold a listeners ear for very long. You learn this at a early age. The over all most important thing for successful story telling is without a doubt, timing.

Did you ever notice how a joke doesn't have to be funny to be funny if the timing is right?

I learned as a young story teller that when times get tough, the stories get good.I remember my friend William and I up to our chests in water crossing a swamp at the Quaban Reservoir back in the early 80's. We were on our Mongoose 3 speeds off road, Off trail too! "The Infamous Swamp Trail"

Times like being caught up to you neck in thorns when all you can do is throw the bike as far as you can and then climb out. Nelco Glazall, "Trailblazer" was a good tour guide for getting us into things like that. Funny now, Painful then.

I remember a time in France with Barb on the tandem. The trail was so sticky that as the wheels rolled, they got so covered with clay they would not spin in the frame. As you walked the mud built up on your shoes to the point that we were actually 3" taller. No way the cleats would clip in. The only way we could go on was for me to carry the bike and Barb the pannier with the day's supplies. We walked for about 7 miles. The two things that kept me smiling was the thought of at the finish we were going to have a Great bottle of wine and a fantastic story to tell when we got home to the States.

It has gotten to the point that when things go wrong I smile for the reason that there will be, at least, something to tell.

Life is at times filled with hardship and sorrow, but when times get tough, theres always a story.