Sometimes the most remarkable displays of human resilience come wrapped in humor. Recently, I came across a story about a local garage sale that perfectly captured this spirit - a woman going through a divorce who advertised her sale with the wickedly clever tagline “Husband Left Me… His Stuff Has Got To Go! (Lawyers Are Expensive).”

The beauty of this story isn’t just in the humor, though that’s certainly part of it. It’s in how this simple garage sale transformed into an impromptu community gathering, with neighbors dropping by not just to browse but to share a drink and offer support. Living in the suburbs of Melbourne, I’ve witnessed similar moments of community connection, though perhaps not quite as entertainingly marketed.

The message popped up on my screen this morning - a desperate plea from someone whose toddler had turned their mother-in-law’s beloved grey couch into an impromptu canvas using expensive eyeshadow palettes. Reading through the comments, memories of similar incidents with my own daughter came flooding back.

There’s something uniquely terrifying about discovering your child’s artistic endeavors on expensive furniture. The initial shock, followed by that sinking feeling in your stomach, and then the frantic Google searches for miracle solutions. Been there, done that, though in my case it was permanent markers on our leather recliner.