Our youngest daughter described herself to a new acquaintance as goofy. Her friend and I chuckled over that confession, and I shared the story of how our daughter gained Goofy as her nickname when she was eight years old.
My husband and I discovered a remarkable camp in Colorado that gave families with adopted Cambodian children the chance to learn about their cultural background through various activities. We thought the camp would be a great opportunity for her and for us.
The three of us boarded a plane in Nashville, Tennessee, and flew to Denver, Colorado. There, we rented a car and drove to Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby for a few days of camp.
The camp provided a fun environment for adopted children to not only learn about their cultural roots, but to make new friends. She delighted in every moment of the trip, while we captured digital memories to cherish for years to come.
After camp ended, we made our way back to Denver for our flight home. Still settling down from all the excitement, she asked if she could borrow my camera to take pictures from the backseat window. Seemed reasonable. With majestic mountains, peaceful streams, and winding roads, the area was a photographer’s dream.
But she wasn’t captivated by any of those breathtaking sights. She was on a mission to document every outdoor bathroom she encountered, snapping pictures of rest stops and portable toilets. Her new hobby earned her the playful nickname Goofy.
As I shared the story with her friend about how she earned her nickname, the sound of our daughter’s belly laugh got her friend and me laughing too. Once our daughter composed herself, she asked, “But why did I want to take pictures of bathrooms?”
Well honey, I guess it’s because you really are goofy.
Even at twenty-four, her nickname still suits her. She’s quite an amusing character, or as we say in the south, a real hoot.
A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul.
Proverbs 17:22a, TPT
Do you or someone close to you have a childhood nickname that still fits?