My Dear Storybuff:

“Now I gotta write that down somewhere.” I was catching my breath after a jolt of laughter, wagging my head a how humor's just waiting to be enjoyed…If you're willing to have the right frame of mind. Let me backtrack to give some context.

The Issue: A smoke detector installed in the living room's ceiling beeping non-stop because its batteries need replacing. The Solution: The batteries in my hand while I stood on the floor looking up at the smoke detector. The Challenge: My average-height behind reaching the smoke detector that loomed six feet above me.

A glance at the stepping stool in the kitchen showed that it wasn't going to cut it. Neither would a dining-table chair or the stepping ladder. And the industrial ladder was a flight of stair below in a maze. Yeah, not the best moment for high ceilings.

But wait, what was that in the corner near the front door? The height adjustable stand huddled in the crook between the coaches. It was in good working order. And its specifications said it could bare my weight. Hmm, my wheels were rolling. A tool I could work with.

So, I maneuvered the stand underneath the chirping smoke detector. But I made sure to position it adjacent to the back of a couch, just in case. And I made my ascent. Things were going well. I had taken the dead batteries out and put the fresh ones in their place. Twisting the secure latch back in place was all there was left.

Then I felt the vibrations of straining happening beneath me. They came before the sounds of creaking. And in the seconds between me securing the smoke detector and the stand giving out, I had one thought. "Is this really how I’m gonna go?"

Believe me when I tell you Simone Biles didn't have anything on me while gravity sent me spiraling from the now slanted stand right into a soft landing onto the coach juxtaposed to my perch. The rapid transition from standing to twirling mid-air to laying horizontal is such a wild sensation. But the relief from recognizing I was 100% ok was even better.

I'm not one to play with danger. And how the outcome could have been very disastrous doesn't escape me. But all I could do was laugh at the cartoonish adventure I just had. Sheesh, it was stranger than fiction. Just a reminder that life is often giving us the opportunity to enjoy some free endorphins o' natural. If were just willing to have a little perspective. What's made you laugh today?

Well, that's my story morning glory. Keep living out yours. And remember… We don't tell stories. Stories tell us.

Peace ~ D.V. Gwyth