Way back when... let's just say 20 years ago or so... my little sister, Bethany, used to play a game with her friends. There are various versions of the game, but the way it worked for them was to look at each other with the most serious look they could conjure and take turns saying, "This is a very solemn occasion," until one or the other [or most likely both] busted up laughing. Me, being the sophisticated teenager that I was, thought they were pretty ridiculous and didn't get what was so great about the game. Flash forward 20 years and I have significantly changed my tune.
See, now I have kids about the same age as my sister was then. I first explained the game to Marissa a few weeks ago, and it quickly spread through the family. We have since had numerous duels of solemnity. The best was at dinner a few nights ago. We all had a major case of the giggles. We had to outlaw the use of "duck lips," as a preventative measure against smiling. And who can't help laughing when Morgan looks at you and says, "This is a very sodmelvacation"? Even my own sophisticated teenager joined in, but nobody takes you too seriously when your voice is cracking.
In between gasps and guffaws, I paused to look around the table, counting this as among my most treasured blessings, to hold on to that moment for as long as a plateful of spaghetti will last. Truly precious. Seriously.
This post makes me smile. The full chant goes like this:
ReplyDeletePerson 1: This is a very solemn occasion.
Person 2: Indeed it is.
Person 1 & 2 have to bow to each other three times saying, "ohm, ohm, ohm."
But it's the general concept that matters. I'm glad that your kids appreciate it as much as I did as a kid. :)