As I found myself blow drying a pair of my socks in the ladies’ locker room at the gym one Saturday evening, it dawned on me that it is essential to be able to find and hold on to the humor in a situation!
Thank goodness the locker room was quiet because I would have been mortified if someone saw me sock-drying, and I was trying to think of the best way to explain this if someone noticed. The old me would have been totally frustrated and blame-filled, but the new me simply found the humor in this odd situation and laughed it away.
To explain: my husband had done the laundry earlier that day and obviously did not check to see if the socks were dry. Now, it’s WONDERFUL that my husband is helpful and does the laundry — many women would be totally envious of a husband who does laundry. But on a January day in New York, having come out of the locker room shower, ready to get dressed, I was not exactly overjoyed as I started to slip my socks on only to find soaking wet cloth on my nice warm feet! I knew my husband was waiting outside in the gym lobby since he had also showered on the men’s side of the locker room. (We go to the gym together each weekend.)
So as I stood there, drying my socks, watching them flip up and down on the granite counter as the blow dryer’s stream of hot air passed over them, I mused about the comical aspect of this situation.
The old me would have been a grumpy grinch about this scenario, negatively telling my hubby off in my head and then probably to his face. But the newer, more understanding me had a chuckle over this mishap. When I made my delayed exit from the locker room, I explained the reason for my tardiness. Of course, my husband was surprised to hear the socks had not dried and was very apologetic.
As strange as this happening was, it was enlightening to me. It reiterated how crucial it is to develop the ability to find the humor in a situation. This ability is an essential aspect of positive living — and will serve remarkably well in many challenging situations!
