People are generally afraid of crazy

When I was a little girl, my maternal grandmother shared lots of advice with me in some very blunt and creative ways. She had a vocabulary peppered with local sayings and several unique phrases of her own.

We attended a church where my grandfather was pastor. It was the kind of church where people regularly said, "Amen, Brother Jimmy" and sang hymns much slower or faster than they were intended.

There was a lady at our church that was very aloof and removed from everyone. She sat alone in the front pew with her head hung down, chatting to herself. Sometimes she spoke out at inappropriate times. Most people avoided her and I have to admit that I was scared of her myself. My grandmother told me to "pay her no mind" and explained that often, "People are generally afraid of crazy, but she'll do no harm."

Yesterday I was having a bit of a meltdown and I was working very hard to assure that no one around me noticed. As irony would have it, pre-meltdown I had invited Kissed Knitter to join me in hunting for buttons for my felted slippers. She agreed, not knowing what lay ahead of her.

The moment I jumped into her vehicle, I continued the meltdown. I couldn't hold back. I couldn't continue the charade. I talked and I talked and I talked. (Actually I spewed and spewed and spewed.) She listened, she commiserated. She was patient and open and made me laugh.

Apparently she wasn't afraid of crazy and I think she realized I'd do no harm. For that I am forever appreciative.

A shot from our shopping adventure a few weeks ago. The little garden next to the cafe was designed in a way that it has color year round.