Smile…laugh, embrace, enjoy,…

Andy and I were walking around Vranov Nad Dyji (Bridge over the Dyji River), looking for a place to have dinner.  I say “Oh…there they are.” We start walking towards Julie and Stephanie, who were sitting outside a restaurant, having a drink.  I say “Hi” and give a big wave.  They wave back and …

Andy and I launch into “SORRY!”

And they throw their heads back and start cracking up laughing.  We walk closer and Andy says, “I am so sorry.  How far off course did you get?  I saw your bikes and was like ‘Oh, thank goodness, they made it.” And Julie and Stephanie said, “We kept saying, ‘I bet they feel so bad, and are worried about us, because they don’t know we are people who will just laugh!’”

Earlier in the day Andy and I had stopped for lunch, and saw Stephanie and Julie ride by.  They were going straight, and Andy pointed right and shouted, “You need to go that way!”  They shouted back, “Of course we do!,” and turned right.  Well, unfortunately Andy told them to take the wrong turn. Normally this would not be a big deal.  In this situation, we were in the Czech Republic, knew very little Czech, and were traveling on bikes.  UGH!

We were so relieved when they started laughing.  It didn’t take long to realize, they really have life figured out.  They could have been angry, frustrated, and grumpy towards us and in general.  Many people would have let getting lost ruin their entire day.  They didn’t force a smile and pretend to be OK when they saw the cause of the additional kilometers they had to pedal. Instead they smiled and laughed. They choose to BE people who smile and laugh and enjoy the additional challenges thrown their way.  It is no wonder they have built an amazing life for themselves.

We talked and laughed so much with Julie and Stephanie!  Amazing moments and joyous memories.