Hi everyone, welcome to thanks for being here, a short, weekly pod to remind us of the many

essential and beautiful ways we affect one another. Every Sunday, I'll read a submission

from a listener of Kelly Corrigan Wonders, could be wedding vows or about mitzvah toast,

a eulogy, or retirement speech. We believe this is probably the loveliest way to tap into

our better selves and remember our highest values. We encourage you to share this podcast

each week with one person you love, maybe someone you miss and need to bring closer,

someone you want to feel your appreciation or admiration or both. This is thanks for being here.

Recently, I asked in Facebook if people would send me a great story about their moms.

I was having one of those days where it felt like it's so much easier to screw it up than to get

it right, and I wanted to be reminded of the ways that we think of our moms as we get older and

more mature. So, Carrie Mosler, thank you so much for sending in this short story about your mom.

Dear mom, I'm going to tell you your favorite story. Again, it always makes you laugh,

even though you don't remember much these days. For some reason, you remember this story.

You and I were on a family beach trip one summer, and we were dispatched to get some fresh shrimp

from the seafood shop, a place we had not tried before. I drove, we parked in front of the tiny

shop. We entered and were greeted by a huge dog that was a little too friendly, like embarrassingly so,

like the dog was sniffing our crutches aggressively. And we were trying not to laugh as we

swatted him gently away when the store owner came out and greeted us, asking, where y'all from?

I answered Farmville at the exact same time that you said Clarksville, and the shop owner looked

puzzled and asked, Fartsville? I don't think I have ever laughed that hard in my life. We ran out

the door laughing and sat in the parking lot with tears and mascara streaming down our faces.

And now, even now, this story cracks you up. You were like having Lucio Ball for a mother.

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