Muffins with Mom – The Dummy Mission



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My eighteen year-old son and I ventured out to a meeting that I wanted to take him to the other day. He was dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt for a meeting that I told him was casual attire. His interpretation of casual was obviously different than mine.

My son and I arrived at our destination a few minutes early. We stopped at the front desk and asked the staff person which room our meeting was being held in.

“I don’t show that group on the schedule for today,” she said.  “But maybe it didn’t get on the schedule.”

“I’ll check the two rooms we usually meet in,” I said.

After checking both rooms, I told my son we must have been there on the wrong Thursday. My son and I talked as we drove the 30 minutes back home. I was complaining that I had wasted my time and my gas rushing to get to a meeting that didn’t exist. Next time I would be sure to double check the date.

My son told said we were on a dummy mission. His definition of the dummy mission – When you don’t complete your task and waste your time and gas for nothing. We had successfully completed a dummy mission. At least we were successful at something.

When I recanted my mission story to my mother she told me that my grandmother occasionally ventured out on a dummy mission. Grandma would leave the house heading to an event, only to return home and say, “That luncheon isn’t until next week,” or “that meeting is tomorrow.”

Could this be some kind of condition in my family? Whatever it is I don’t want it. Is there a magic pill that can be taken?

If you happen to find yourself on a dummy mission, just make the best use of your time. Take a moment to slow down and literally smell the roses or take in some fresh air. It’s not always about how much time you have to accomplish something, but how you make the best use of your time.

Have you ever been on a dummy mission?