The Bright Side of Atomic Slurpees

Crap. I’m late. I haven’t packed everything. I have a lot of loose ends that have not been taken care of. I thought as I raced out the door for a week-long getaway missions trip to Squamish. Oh, and I didn’t get my dad a birthday present.

Sometimes life just does not go the way we envision and we have to deal. It’s how we deal with the situation that I suppose is the measure of where we are at and what we need to reflect on and look to improve upon.

I felt like this entire two weeks was a test in pushing me to my limits. A lot has happened and I have pulled through, but I somehow feel like I’ve been tumble dried, starched and ironed.

Then it happened, a slurpee spilled. It really wasn’t a big deal. Granted the entire slurpee spilled and all over a vehicle that wasn’t mine.

Kids hopped out of my vehicle left right and centre as I sat stunned in the driver seat of the borrowed SUV from my gracious parents.

I knew the spill had to be bad just by the sheer fact that everyone seemed to be doing a firemen’s drill. The adrenaline pumping through my temples sedated me for a few seconds.

Finally I lifted a heavy hot tub soaked limb up to unclick the seat belt. Each step took me closer to a reality I did not want to face. The place where I would have to confront myself and refrain from just about every reaction in the book. The point in my life where being an example was not going to be easy.

I looked on at the toxic spill in the van. Why do we consume things that look like a nuclear waste explosion? Atomic slurpees cannot aid digestion. I’m pretty sure that the human waste from neon slurpees glows in the dark.

I scooped the pile of oozing green onto the pavement and went through the motions without saying a word.

I looked up and saw my youth kid quivering in the far corner of the backseat. I really wasn’t mad. Just incredibly weary. By not reacting I think he felt worse.

We arrived back to the camp site and I related the story to fellow people and it dawned on me that I finally had a present for my dad. The man that has everything under the sun – A professionally detailed vehicle.

Thanks to disasters and the mess in life, there is always a bright side. Plus there is no use in crying over spilled slurpee.