"You Must Keep Reading To Find the Advice"

My grandmother kept a sealed envelope in her desk with the instructions “read it after I’m dead”.  For years, we knew about the letter and wondered about its secret contents.  When she died in February 2000, the envelope was opened and the contents revealed.  I don’t remember now what the note said but I do remember thinking it was awfully unimportant.

So you think today’s Bit of Advice is about how to write a farewell letter, don’t you?

Nope.

In my desk at school I keep a small bag with a mascara, some face powder, and a deodorant.  Why?  Every once in a while I find myself in such a rush in the morning that I forget a key piece of my morning routine.  I can get by without eating breakfast but I must have on mascara.  I had to teach one time with two mismatched shoes on but I must have on deodorant.  And the powder is just a habit thing.  I’m naked without it.  There are some things I just need.

So you think today’s Bit of Advice is about being prepared, don’t you?

Nope.

Every fall when the weather starts to chill and the gray clouds of November take on a whitish, snowy tinge we make our family trip to the basement.  We pull out every winter coat, boot, and snowpant we own and line them up on the floor in size order.  Each child has the instruction to find the coat they want to wear to school and church.  Next, find the coat you want to wear outside to play in the snow.  Lastly, find the one you will wear when the others are wet or get left behind somewhere.  Then we move to snowpants.  Find the pair you want to wear here at home.  Find the pair you want to keep at school for playing there.  And lastly to the boots where each child has to find two pair that fit and will be good in the snow.  Sometimes a child has to wear something just a hair too big or too small but we always find enough gear for everyone (and enough gear to outfit another family of seven at least!).

So you think today’s Bit of Advice is about being hoarding, don’t you?

Nope.

Our State Farm Insurance agent, a good friend of the family, gave us a red vinyl pouch to keep in the glove compartment of the car with our registration and insurance information.  Fortunately we usually only have to remove it from the car twice a year when the new insurance cards arrive in the mail and not with any regular frequency on the side of the road while blue and red lights flash in the rearview mirror.  A few years ago, I had the idea to add some important phone numbers to the red pouch just in case we needed them while traveling (of course, this was before cell phones where we could store the numbers).  I also added a list of Thruway rest areas by mile marker number since we no longer get a toll ticket with the info thanks to EZPass.   And finally I added a $20 bill.  Just in case.  Just because.  And it’s still there.

So you think today’s Bit of Advice is about being thinking ahead, don’t you?

No.

Today’s Bit of Advice is…….

“Always write a backup blog in advance”

Because you never know when the day will come when you won’t have time to write one.  All of my adoring fans wait with bated breath for the next missal and I don’t want to disappoint.  So this blog (and maybe a few others) was written in advance with the notation “open and use as needed”.  I may or may not ever need it but I’ll be awfully glad I have it if the day comes.

And, I guess, if you are reading it the day came.

Hope you enjoyed the read.