caroline holzberger

The Tale of Happy Wetpants

Once upon a time, in a land on my street not that far away, there lived a young-ish girl, named Happy.

Charming, friendly and jovial…Happy loved life.

God blessed Happy with the ability to see sunshine in the rain. To exchange a half empty glass of milk for a half full one, and add chocolate syrup as well.

Happy loved her God. She loved her prince. She loved her three baby happys.

She loved her small, special world.

But, as God would allow —

Down came the rain on Happy’s small, special world.

Followed by gale force winds, tornadoes and earthquakes.

Time floated on and Happy remained weak. But her God remained strong.

After years of what felt like constant rain, sleet, and plagues of locusts snow…the sun made every effort to peek through the dark clouds.

Happy rubbed her eyes, squinting as she turned her head towards the clouds – and she grinned.

Her sunshine was back.

She was back.

In her pre-locust plague life, Happy spent her days as active as can be. If the sport had an inflatable ball, Happy played it joyfully. Then time floated on, and Happy discovered decade number three. She’d heard rumors of it, and now it was here. And it was real.

Happy also had three sweet babies — Smartypants, Sillypants and Sassypants. They loved Happy and her prince and she loved them. Although her heart was full, her mind could not deny now her body felt more like a deflated balloon than a well-oiled machine.

Her muffin topped.

Her top dropped.

Her faucet leaked.

But, still she was Happy.

She desired to keep her name through the good and the bad and thank God for them both.

Some days were easier than others.

Today was one of those days.

As a step forward in faith, Happy went about her day like any happy mom would.

A trip to Wal-Mart is a must. Clipping coupons, price matching ads and three kids in school made for a normalcy day Happy spent years craving. Five new friends were made before aisle four, and Happy just kept getting happier.

Thank you God for strangers and the opportunity to scatter some of your sunshine.

Then, it happened.

Soccer practice.

Long before wrinkles arrived in Happy’s world and paper mache ankles proved weak, this was the pastime she held most dear. Most of decade one and two were spent proudly with shin guards on and grass stains abounding.

That little black and white ball made Happy…well, happy.

It was part of who she was.

Was.

But she hasn’t been for so long.

After all, this was the decade number three…the one that changed everything.

This decade slammed into Happy with fierce intensity.

Rain. Sleet. Snow. A hurricane or two.

She’d almost forgotten about this fun way to run, with the ball at her feet and the wind in her hair.

But her precious Sillypants reminded her…of the smell of the grass, the sound of the cleats, the sight of the net whipped backward by her beloved ball.

Happy was happy.

In a moment, Happy ran like she used to, or at least somewhere close. Closer than she’d been since decade two. Kicking felt like breathing…something she was meant to do.

So, this is what running feels like?

Her body had all but forgotten, but her heart smiled at the rebirth of her speed.

As her smile stretched clear across her face and the wind whipped her hair, a prayer offered up her heart’s sincerity.

Thank you dear God, for this moment of freedom. Thank you for soccer. Thank you for allowing my sweet Sillypants to watch me run.

He stared at his HappyMama as if he’d never seen her move that way before. Well, he hadn’t. The tornadoes and hurricanes have beat against his happy home since he was a baby.

“Wow Mama, I’m proud of you! You did great at your running!” her precious Sillypants cheered.

Her heart overflowed.

Happy knew she was back. Or at least a part of her was. A part that felt young. A part that felt healthy.

Happy rubbed her eyes, squinting as she turned her head up towards the clouds — she grinned again.

But in that moment of thanks, Happy came back to today; the day of reality, sometimes harsh, sometimes brutal, sometimes sudden.

Other times, hilarious.

Because it was in that brief moment of freedom, Happy’s body felt the limitations of its reality.

Her muffin topped.

Her top bottomed out.

Her faucet leaked.

That’s right, her faucet leaked.

Now? She thought.

Not now! her heart begged as she gazed at her surroundings, filled with joy, laughter and people she knew well, but not that well.

“Yes, now” was the reply of her body. Right. Now. And again two minutes from now and four minutes from now. In fact, with every step of your run, and every laugh from your soul,

“Leak, I will”, said the faucet.

With no one around in which Happy could rely on…she was left to have this moment by herself.

And laugh.

And laugh.

And laugh.

Where were her friends now? The ones who’d bought galoshes for their feet and storm doors for their hearts so they could ride out the bad weather of these past few years by her side.

Where were they now, to share in this joy? To celebrate this moment? To point and laugh at their ridiculous friend, Happy Wetpants?

Happy was left to celebrate this moment with the only One who really had been there every moment of the storms. Every dark cloud, He knew by name.

And, yes, God giggled.

Because Happy’s God is a God of joy.

He is a God who desires praise whether your skies are blue or black. Whether your pants are dry or wet.

“Give thank in all circumstances”, says Happy’s God.

All circumstances?

Yes.

Even this one?

All.

So, today, for sunny days and rainy days, for soccer, and even for leaky faucets and for the humor to soak it all up…I thank you God.

Er, I mean…Happy thanks You.

The end.