Just Whistle by Tamera Ford

Just Whistle

He couldn’t even smile, let alone whistle and he was mad as a hornet! 

My 5 yr. old son had his first experience with "numb cheek" from the Dentist. 

His reaction to this temporary predicament completely took me off guard.

He cried. A lot. Big crocodile tears. 

I wanted to laugh but when I saw how upset he was 

I quickly stepped into my MOM leotard (scary image) and cape and began to

try to comfort him.

He had never experienced anything like this before and it was 

restricting…uncomfortable…weird.

He wouldn’t even attempt drinking a milkshake for fear of biting a hole in his cheek.

(bad mom…shouldn't have mentioned that!)

For an hour he was miserable. Nothing I did made him feel any better. I couldn’t  get a smile out of him. Then something amazing happened. His Daddy came home, just to check on everyone and He asked little numb cheek…. to whistle. 

“I can’t”, he said. 

"

“Well, try. Just whistle” 

Little numb cheek puckered up (half way) and tried to blow. Nothing. 

Nothing except explosive laughter from my husband.

I turned to look and he was bent over, red faced and wheezing! 

"Do it again”, he shouted!

(my jaw dropped. I was shocked. What would mad, little, numb cheeked, hornet do now?)

No only did little, numb cheeked, hornet  try to whistle again, he smiled! 

He laughed about it.

And I had an "ah ha” moment. 

So often we find ourselves in situations that take us off guard. They may be restricting, uncomfortable or weird feeling. We may even feel angry or fearful about that we are going through. It’s in these times that we need to step back and ask the Lord to help us see things from His perspective. Maybe we need to lighten up and laugh at the situation instead of being so wrapped up in how we feel. The big picture shows us that we overcome, we win, we always triumph and when we don’t allow ourselves to be driven by anger, fear and worry, 

we grow.

When all the laughter had subsided, I asked my 5 yr. old. “How do you feel?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Do you want to go back to the Dentist?” “NO”, he said with a smile.

Life is filled with uncomfortable moments. Laughing through them doesn’t mean you like them. It means you have a wider perspective and you’re not moved by your circumstances. 

And, even though your cheek is numb by golly you are going to whistle anyways!

Hoping you find reason to laugh today and maybe do a bit of whistling of your own!

Hugs, Tammy