My sister Linda is the Fastest Wit in the West. Recently she blithely told her urologist "I bet your favorite female vocalist is Urethra Franklin!" He roared with laughter. My brother-in-law Chuck, when young and still living at home, would warm his mother's culinary heart by telling her to burn the meatloaf and make sure the cake "dropped" in the oven. With an eater like that, how could she go wrong?
I have been to many funerals, and every time people give eulogies, they're rarely about major accomplishments, they're laughing memories about their loved ones' human quirks and daily kindnesses, those sweetly simple ordinary qualities that are the stamp of our lovable individuality: the Bingo Queen, the One Who Made the Best Pierogi or Sauce or could Talk to Broken Cars. The One Who Could Fill You in on the Daytime Soap or NCIS Episode You Missed. We all have these qualities that are sometimes quirky, always lovable, that make the ones we love both laugh and treasure us. They're really gifts. Keep doing them. Keep BEING them. St. Paul said "The gift you have received, give as a gift!"