FANDANGO’S FLASHBACK FRIDAY

So, here we are. It’s MiMi’s birthday — or as she used to call it, her day — and what did I do to honor her? I went to not one, but two concerts back-to-back like I was still 22 and invincible. Now my body’s staging a full-blown rebellion, and honestly? I deserve it.

I can already hear MiMi’s voice, clear as day: “Hmm…running around here thinking you’re grown. You better sit your butt down somewhere.”

She wouldn’t even be mad — just deeply, soulfully amused. That was her way. She didn’t come at you all sweet and gentle; she came at you with common sense wrapped in sarcasm and a side-eye that could stop a grown man mid-sentence.

Thing is, MiMi knew a few things about life — mainly that it would humble you if you weren’t smart enough to humble yourself first. She was tough, she was wise, and she didn’t hand out sympathy just because you made dumb decisions. Nope. She handed you a wet rag, told you to ice that injury, and advised you to sit down and think about your life choices.

And you know what? She was right. She’s still right. Every time my knees pop or my back protests, I can feel her judgment radiating from the great beyond like, “See? Didn’t I tell you?”

But MiMi also believed in living, not just scraping by, but actually living. Laughing hard, dancing when you feel like it (even if your body says otherwise), and gathering memories worth the limp you’ll have tomorrow.

So yeah, I’m hurting today. But I’m also smiling. Because honoring MiMi isn’t about playing it safe — it’s about doing the things that fill you up, even if you have to pay for it later with ibuprofen and regret.

Happy birthday, MiMi. Thanks for the tough love, the side-eye, and the voice in my head telling me to sit my grown self down — right after I live a little.

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Morning Vibe – 05302024