My wife and I were shocked when we were kicked out of my friend’s wedding for ordering pizza after the buffet ran out of food. What began as a lighthearted, slightly tipsy idea quickly turned into a whirlwind of drama that made us question not only our actions but also our friendships.
We had been looking forward to Tom’s wedding for weeks. It was a small, intimate affair with about 70 guests, mostly family, and the atmosphere was joyful. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there.
As we admired the decorations and soaked in the celebratory mood, everything seemed perfect. My wife and I exchanged smiles, complimenting the setup and how happy Tom and Linda looked. We were seated at a table with some lovely people and began chatting with a couple named Jane and Bob.
After a beautiful ceremony full of heartfelt vows, the celebration kicked off with drinks flowing at the open bar. Two bottles of wine were placed on each table, along with bread and butter, and the mood was lively. But then came the announcement for the buffet, which was to be served by calling tables up one at a time, starting with the family.
As we watched the first tables head to the buffet, we noticed plates being piled high with food. I quietly mentioned to my wife that I hoped there would be enough for everyone, and we both waited, hoping for the best. However, when our table was finally called, the buffet was nearly empty. We managed to scrape together a few scraps, leaving everyone at our table visibly disappointed. We could sense frustration growing around us.
“That’s it?” Jane asked, staring at her nearly empty plate. Bob, equally unhappy, grumbled about how hungry he still was. My wife and I were equally disheartened, but we tried to keep things lighthearted.
It was then that Bob jokingly suggested ordering pizza. To our surprise, the idea didn’t seem all that far-fetched to us in our hungry state. After a quick chat with the others, we decided to go for it, pooling some money and placing an order for four large pizzas and wings.
When the pizzas arrived, we shared them with those around us who also hadn’t gotten enough to eat. The atmosphere at our table shifted as we laughed about the absurdity of the situation, but that light mood didn’t last long. Before we knew it, Linda’s father approached our table, clearly unhappy.
He sternly asked where the pizza came from, and after explaining that we had ordered it because the buffet ran out of food, he grew even more upset. When he asked for a slice and I refused, citing that we had barely eaten ourselves, his frustration turned into full-blown anger.
Not long after, Tom came over, looking distressed. He apologized but explained that we needed to leave, as the pizza situation had upset Linda and her family. Feeling hurt and frustrated, we gathered our things and left the reception, ending the night on a sour note.
A few days later, Tom called me. He explained that after talking with Linda and her family, they realized there hadn’t been enough food and felt terrible about what had happened. Linda’s father, especially, was eager to make amends and had planned a big “After Wedding Shindig” to invite everyone back, with plenty of food, drinks, and entertainment.
Despite the awkwardness of the original event, it seemed like things were headed in a positive direction, and I found myself looking forward to the follow-up celebration. What had started as a silly solution to our hunger turned into a larger lesson in communication, and, in the end, a chance for everyone to come together again.
38-year-old woman wrote her own obituary, we aII need to read it
Sonia Todd of Moscow, Idaho, died of cancer at the young age of 38. But knowing the end was near, she decided to write her own obituary before passing away. As she explained, obituaries were usually written a couple of different ways that she simply didn’t care for. So, as one of her last acts on this earth, she put pen to paper and decided for herself how her obituary would read.
The result of Sonia confronting her own mortality as she penned her obituary was a piece full of humor as well as wisdom, appearing in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. The words were so honest and inspirational that long after her death, they will still ring true, giving others something to aspire to. Ironically, Sonia wrote, “I never really accomplished anything of note.” How wrong she was. The truth expressed in the obituary she wrote proved to be quite an accomplishment in and of itself.
“Other than giving birth to my two wonderful, lovable, witty and amazing sons (James and Jason), marrying my gracious, understanding and precious husband (Brian), and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal savior – I have done very little. None of which requires obit space that I have to shell out money for,” Sonia Todd began, explaining why she was writing her obituary and why it wouldn’t be like others.
Adding that she didn’t want a bunch of her loved ones sitting around to write a glowing report of her, which she says would be “filled with fish tales, half-truths, impossible scenarios, and out-right-honest-to-goodness-lies,” Sonia explained she simply didn’t like putting people in those kinds of situations. With the explanation out of the way, she got to her version of the truth about her own life.
“I just tried to do the best I could. Sometimes I succeeded, most of the time I failed, but I tried. For all of my crazy comments, jokes and complaints, I really did love people. The only thing that separates me from anyone else is the type of sin each of us participated in. I didn’t always do the right thing or say the right thing and when you come to the end of your life those are the things you really regret, the small simple things that hurt other people,” Sonia admitted.
Although she said that she mostly enjoyed life, she also said it wasn’t perfect and that she encountered many bumps in the road, especially in her teens and early 20s. Even though some parts of her life were harder than others, Sonia said, “I learned something from every bad situation and I couldn’t do any more than that.” She also claimed there were benefits to dying young. Jokingly, she wrote, “I still owe on my student loans and the jokes on them cuz I’m not paying them. Plus, I am no longer afraid of serial killers, telemarketers or the IRS.”Addressing the fact that some people have told her that writing her own obituary is morbid, Sonia Todd continued, “I think it is great because I get a chance to say thank you to all the people who helped me along the way. Those who loved me, assisted me, cared for me, laughed with me and taught me things so that I could have a wonderful, happy life. I was blessed beyond measure by knowing all of you. That is what made my life worthwhile.”
It was the conclusion of her obituary that was the most important, however. Sonia encouraged others to change their lives. “If you think of me, and would like to do something in honor of my memory do this: Volunteer at a school, church or library. Write a letter to someone and tell them how they have had a positive effect on your life. If you smoke – quit. If you drink and drive – stop,” she wrote.
Her advise continued, “Turn off the electronics and take a kid out for ice cream and talk to them about their hopes and dreams. Forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it. Stop at all lemonade-stands run by kids and brag about their product. Make someone smile today if it is in your power to do so.”
Today seems like a good day to honor Sonia’s memory by completing some of these simple requests and reminding others to do the same. Luckily for us, we still have time for these things. And, thankfully, with her dying wish, Sonia Todd left us these words of wisdom that few realize until it’s too late
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