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Dear Reader,
Experts say laughter lowers stress, boosts the immune system and can help lower blood pressure. Laughter is even good for the digestion. If you're sharing a meal with friendly people who are having a good time, you're much less likely to need an antacid pill afterwards.
Our family won't be needing any antacid pills anytime soon, because at every family gathering we're entertained by three voices, each reciting a different grace before the meal. (Including Easter Dinner this past Sunday.) James, my six-year-old grandson delights in saying a grace he first learned in preschool. "Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. That you for the birds that sing. Thank you God for everything."
Proud that he knows every word by heart, James rattles off grace lickety-split. But not before two other voices join in. Kind of like singing the round "Row-Row-Row Your Boat" at Girl Scout Camp, soon three voices are coming-in on different beats. James starts the grace 'song,' "Thank you for...", eight-year-old Paul chimes in with his own memorized version of a completely different, "Bless this food..." prayer and Great Grandpa (who refuses to replace his old broken hearing aid, which means he can't hear) sees that everyone at the table has their head bowed and hands folded, so unknowingly he joins in the canon, too, reciting a formal "Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies..."
Then in the spirit of a singing round, each prayer-reciter finishes up their blessing at different times. "Amen, Amen, and Amen." It's a miracle the rest of us can keep a straight face and hold back the laughter.
At our next family gathering, I think I might join in the round, too. "Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub! Yeah God!"
I'm baking today, so if you were one of the chocolate chip cookie winners, watch for your package. And please take a photo and send it to me. I really appreciate it.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
AUTHORBUZZ: THE DISTANT MARVELS (Fiction) by Chantel Acevedo
Maria Sirena tells stories. She does it for money--she was a favorite in the cigar factory where she worked as a lectora--and for love, spinning gossamer tales out of her own past for the benefit of friends, neighbors, and family. But now, like a modern-day Scheherazade, she will be asked to tell one last story so that eight women can keep both hope and themselves alive.
Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE DISTANT MARVELS to read more and to email author Chantel Acevedo, you'll get a reply.
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