When my wife was going through a difficult time with her health we developed a system so she could call me if she needed help. I found a hand bell in a closet that she could keep by her bed and ring it if she needed me.
I know this sounds old fashioned. I suppose we could have used our smart phones and kept my phone number on speed dial. Or I suppose we could have set up a baby monitor like our children used to keep an eye on their babies and young children when they were sleeping.
Sometimes it was difficult to hear her voice if the TV was on in the family room or when I was doing dishes in the kitchen. But a loud bell seemed like a simple solution. She could nap and sleep in our bedroom while I was in other parts of the house and she could use the bell to alert me when she woke up or if she needed me.
Recently I was watching the LA Rams playoff game in our family room with some other members of our family while my wife was resting in our bedroom. She had the TV on too but I thought she was napping instead of watching the game. Suddenly I heard the bell ring. It wasn’t a short subdued ring. It was loud and urgent. I jumped to my feet and hurried back to our bedroom. I called out “Are you okay”? “Are you okay”? I thought something was seriously wrong.
But when I got to our bedroom she was laughing at me. She thought it was funny that I was rushing to help her. When I asked her what was wrong she said – nothing! I asked her why she was ringing the bell. She explained that she was simply celebrating that Cooper Cupp just caught a touchdown pass for the Rams. She wasn’t calling for help – she was loudly celebrating the Rams’ touchdown!
I breathed a huge sigh of relief and then began to laugh too. I laughed and laughed. I was so concerned something was wrong. When I learned everything was okay it was an emotional relief. I laid down on the bed and she starting laughing too. Instead of a crisis it was a Cooper Cupp touchdown. I think it was just what we both needed after several weeks of doctor visits and health challenges.
Let me encourage you to release some of the emotional baggage that you may be carrying with you. There is nothing like a good laugh to change the mood and release some emotional energy. You will be glad you did and your family and friends will too.
Read 365 more stories by the author in his book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The price is $20 for one or $30 for two copies plus $5 postage. Order your books today at markh@efreedb.org.
Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper 