As Tradition dictates, each year the birthday Laird (or Laird-in-law) must provide words of wisdom to our Patriarch.  This usually occurs at the Traditional Birthday Meal (steak and party potatoes).  But, as Joey and I are ridiculously far away, we are permitted to call our Words of Wisdom in to said Patriarch (aka Pops) on our birthdays.

This year, I was having trouble coming up with something.  I mean, srsly.  Everything that happened to me prior to May 14, 2009 kind of got deleted from my memory, and everything afterwards has been, shall we say, predominantly cwap.  So…I was stalling.  I couldn’t come up with any wisdom, no matter how hard I squeezed my brain.

But, at 8:00 last night, I finally thought of something.  Two things, actually.  I told Joey about 10:30 last evening, and then texted Pops (because calling after 9:30 is not OK and could cause my removal from The Will) to tell him I’d call him in the morning and report.

Therefore, I now dispense my Words of Wisdom, here for everyone to read.  Or not read.  Whatever you want.

Oh, I have two this year.

Wisdom #1

When you’re in the hospital and your doctor says “you can go home today, or you can stay until tomorrow or so”, just STAY IN THE HOSPITAL.  While under normal circumstances you’d sleep better at home, the whole laying awake in bed and wondering

a.) if you will die, and

b.) if you could even get out of the bed if there was a fire

is just not worth it.  Not worth it at all.  So spend your insurance money, people, and stay in the hospital until they kick you out.

Wisdom #2

Rather related to the above, this year Joey and I really, truly understood what it means to have community, and WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT.  Being so far away from our families, I don’t think we would have survived without our friends coming along side us, carrying us when we fell, picking up the pieces, and handing us tissues.  It’s easier to be all Lone Ranger and skim through life with surface relationships.  It’s easier to be lazy, to not invest in the lives of people and to not allow them into your own where they can see your garbage and help you throw it out.

But wisdom says we need community, that we need people around us to sharpen us.  We need to make that investment.

This summer, we needed our friends, and they were there for us.  And, friends…thanks.  We love you all, and we praise God for you.  Without you, we’d have gone insane for certain sure.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,12

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.