Laughing in the Savage Face of Fate.

So I had a root canal and some other stuff done on Friday.
It turns out that this was the best thing ever, according to my students.
Because I can't talk. Not really.
Or I can, but it sounds...weird.
I needed to be at school because my students had this ginormous cross-curricular project due. I don't like being absent.
What I Said:(earnest)I am so excited that you have worked so hard and today you will feel really good about this assignment.
What My Students Heard: Ah ahm toe ettited tat you hab wooked so hawd and today you wiw feew weewy gud abot tis attinement.
Students: Stunned silence.
What I Said: It's okay to laugh. I sound funny. I needed to be here because I was worried about your stress level.
What My Students Heard: It otay to waf. I tound tunny. I needit toe be hewe becaud I wat wowwied about tor trett wevew.
Students: Laughing now. Like, really laughing.
Undaunted, I plowed on, explaining the day's schedule. Several students translated. For example, I think I said "speech" and what they heard was "peet."
No one knew how to translate "peet." I had to write it out and have a kid read the note.
And even the kids who were trying really hard not to laugh, laughed. The kids who were already laughing were undone.
And you know what? I had to laugh, even if it hurt.
Because to see all these anxious kids looking completely baffled or laughing helplessly and not being stressed anymore made my day.
So of course this made me think about writing. How we write and struggle and send stuff out into the world and how the reactions we get may not be what we expect.
And sometimes that's the best thing ever.
Here's to laughing in the savage face of fate.
Or, as I would say, waffink in tuh tavag bate of bate.