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KathyM · Feb 22, 2011, 10:57 AM

(((Michah)))

People who know you will understand. If not, oh well - at the very least you made the event "memorable," and no harm was done.

I attended a huge baby shower at a hotel years ago for my next door neighbor, who worked as a recreational therapist. Her MIL was present, and everyone knew about her mental health issues after a series of strokes.

My friend was opening her gifts in the center of the room as we all watched from our tables. Music was playing in the background. When this song came on, her MIL jumped out of her seat from across the room and started singing loudly and dancing along to the music.

My friend managed to calmly redirect her MIL back without humiliating her. I was amazed and truly impressed by the crowd and the compassion they showed. Not a single person raised an eyebrow or laughed at the woman. She was fortunate to be in a crowd of mostly developmental specialists.

My friend's MIL is gone now, but we all look back and smile - knowing how excited she was at the thought of being a grandmother for the first time. It was quite a lively performance, and I'm glad we all have that song to remember her.