Introducing Thing #1

Can I share a secret with you?

It's pretty interesting.

But I'll only tell you if you promise not to laugh.

In fact, I want to share three secrets with you. We'll call today's secret "Thing #1," mostly because I love Dr. Seuss.  

So without further ado... Thing #1!

Let me just put it this way... My heart isn't in the right place.

I came to this realization one day during the many drives we have made across I-70 into and through Kansas City. There's a huge billboard along the interstate that says, "Is your heart in the right place?" I saw this, thought briefly, and quickly answered, "No!"

What on earth am I talking about, though? My heart isn't in the right place? Does that mean I torture penguins in my spare time or steal from orphaned children in order to give back to the rich?

Tempting, but not so much.

When I say my heart isn't in the right place, I am being 100% literal. It just isn't in the right place!

At this point, you're probably scratching your head a little. Don't worry. When I told my small group this, they thought I was making it up. I'm still not sure they believe me. But seriously - my heart isn't where it's supposed to be!

And so here, I cordially introduce you to Thing #1 - Situs Inversus.

Thing #1 is by far the coolest medical condition ever. Basically, the gist of it is that all of my major organs are mirrored, or flipped around. So my heart is on the right side instead of the left! If you want more details, you can check out the ever-so-official Wikipedia page.

I love Thing #1 because it means I got to be completely different than anyone else I knew when I did the Pledge of Allegiance at school as a kid or when I sang the National Anthem. Some of the teachers would give me dirty looks for putting my right hand over the right side of my chest instead of the left, but I stood my ground, poised to show them that, though I was a little weird, I wasn't weak. I wasn't going to pretend to cover my heart where it wasn't!

I know, I know. It's a lot to take in at once. You're probably still waiting for me to say "JUST KIDDING!" But I promise that isn't coming. My insides are all messed up, and I love it. It doesn't impact my life in almost any way, except when I forget to tell doctors and they freak out after an x-ray or trying to find my heartbeat.

Yes, I sometimes don't tell them on purpose. It never gets old.

So, between you and me, that's definitely something about me you probably didn't know. Let's just call it our little secret, alright?

Do you have any weird quirks about you that you love to share about? Funny things you can do? Weird talents you have? Let me hear about them in a comment or in an e-mail!