Puddy Tat Perception

After spending the night at the home of our dear friends, the Gingells, we were all gathered in the dining area eating breakfast.  Lindsay called to me, "Mom, where are you?  I can't find my clothes."  There is a large supporting column of the Gingells' house which contains a pantry, and separates the dining room from the kitchen.  At that moment, I was on the kitchen side of the column.     

Since the Gingells always put me in a playful, chipper mood, I decided to sneak up on Lindsay and surprise her.  From the way her voice carried, I could tell she was in the dining room, facing the right side of the column, so I slowly tip-toed around the other way, ready to pounce on her from behind with a big hug.  Ever so slowly, in my own version of Sylvester the cat, I crept around the column, where everyone seated at the dining room table watched me with big smiles. 

Boy, was I good!  I hadn't even caught a glimpse of Lindsay yet, so my timing must be perfect!  I kept tip-toeing around the column back to the kitchen, still ready to pounce, and still with amazing timing!  I grinned with glee, picturing Lindsay on the other side of the column in complete bewilderment over my disappearance.  My anticipation heightened as I made my second round into the dining room, where all eyes were still fixed on me, but now the smiles held a hint of confusion.  Just then, from the balcony that overlooked the dining room, Lindsay said, "Mom, what are you doing?' 

I stopped short in total confusion, and looked up.  There stood Lindsay, where she had been all along.  It was I who had been tricked, not her!  We all had a good laugh over my Sylvester stalking, and I learned that perception is not reality!  The joke was on me.      

Satan can throw his voice in such a way that it sounds like serving my family is a waste of time, manipulating my husband is the only way to get what I need, and a bigger house is the only way to be happy.  Perception is NOT reality.  No joke.