After 45 years of life experience, I've come to the conclusion that the single greatest source of wisdom in the universe is the refrigerator door.
My first experience with this came on my Mammaw's refrigerator door in Grafton, West Virginia. To this day I can remember her hand written note. It was held first by tape and then by a magnet. It read, "Anger is a substance that does more harm to the vessel in which it is stored, than the vessel on which it is poured." I have no idea how long it was there... I have no memory of it ever NOT being there. Anyone who ever spent time in her kitchen remembers it. Her refrigerator door held much wisdom!
I have found this to be true of every refrigerator door in every home I have ever entered and certainly true of our refrigerator door today.
We have lots of things stuck to our refrigerator door. It is a magnet for the pieces of life we hold most important. And it's a magnet for wisdom. This is my current favorite piece of wisdom that has found it's place there: "Raising children is like being pecked to death by a chicken." If you have children, you know this is a sincerely profound truth. It is hauntingly accurate. I am left staring at the refrigerator wondering how it can be so profound and keep things cold at the same time.
Of course not all of the wisdom is as obvious at that wisdom. There are things that don't appear to be wisdom right away. They cleverly disguise themselves as plain humor. But because the refrigerator is the greatest source of wisdom known to man, even the humor ends up being wisdom. For example, ths humorous little phrase is on a very large magnet: "Ahhh... I see the screw up fairy has paid us a visit again."
To the unsuspecting passerby that seems like just plain humor, but it's not. It's wisdom because it teaches us to laugh at ourselves and our mistakes. I can't read it without smiling and thinking about the most recent screw up in our kid-filled house!
But the most important piece of wisdom on our refrigerator is also one of the most important lessons anyone can learn in life. It is prominently placed at child's eye level and reads, "House Rules. Rule #1: Mom is the boss. Rule #2: See rule #1." Most of the children in our house are still to young to fully grasp this eternal wisdom. However, on more than one occasion this week alone, that piece of wisdom has served me very well. I may be the President of my company, but I'm not the President of my house. Thank you for reminding me, oh great and powerful refrigerator door!
So... what piece of wisdom does your refrigerator door have to share?
Jason :: Hilarious!
<<---- BTW, this is the OFFICIAL-unofficial AR signature!!
Hi Jeff, TLW placed one on our refrigerator a few years back. I'm not really sure if it's words of wisdom or just her way of trying to get a point across to me. But I like it and it's very true.
"My wife and I had words last night but I didn't get to use mine"
Then there's another one up in the corner that came with the fridge. I haven't quite figured out this one yet. It reads:
Kenmore :)