When Life Hands You a Chicken Hat
A few weeks ago, I shared about the women’s golf retreat I attended for the first time this fall, an annual four-day getaway filled with fairways, laughter, and a whole lot of dimes and quarters. I was a substitute for another gal who couldn’t make it, and when asked to join, I didn’t hesitate. Without overthinking it, I said yes. Though I’m far from an avid golfer, I was reassured it was mostly for fun and as it turns out, that was absolutely true.
About ten days before the retreat, my friend Marilyn was dropping me off from being out together when she casually mentioned, “You know you have to bring a grab bag gift to the retreat, right?”
I froze. “What?!” I said, eyes wide with panic. “No one told me that!” I immediately began running through my mental checklist. I barely had my clubs and clothes sorted out, let alone time to come up with the perfect gift.
Marilyn started sharing her ideas, and in my flustered state, I asked her for suggestions. “A head cover,” she said. I blinked. “A what?” She repeated it, “A head cover, a chicken head cover.”
Still confused, I said, “You mean like… a chicken hat?” She looked at me, now equally puzzled. “No!” she said between laughs. “A golf club head cover!”
At that moment, it hit me. I’d completely misunderstood her, picturing women showing up at the retreat wearing actual chicken hats! We both burst into uncontrollable laughter. The kind where tears roll down your cheeks, your stomach hurts, and you can barely breathe.
That simple misunderstanding turned into one of the funniest moments I’d had in a long time. And in that laughter, something shifted, a reminder that joy doesn’t come from having everything perfectly figured out; it often arrives through the unexpected, the silly, and the wonderfully imperfect.
Of course, once I’d recovered from the laughter, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I went on a mission to find a chicken-themed golf head cover and a chicken hat for myself.
My search led me down the wildest internet rabbit hole. I found everything from giant stuffed chicken hats with dangling legs to rubber chicken headbands (none of which I could imagine pulling off gracefully on a golf course). I wanted something playful but… a little more me.
And then I found it, the perfect hat. A pink bucket hat covered in colorful chickens. It made me laugh out loud, and I knew right then it was destined for the retreat.
When I showed it to Marilyn on our first round of golf, she nearly fell over laughing again. It wasn’t exactly golf attire, but that wasn’t the point. I wore that chicken hat from time to time over the weekend, and every time I did, it sparked a smile or started a conversation. It was a simple reminder of how much joy can come from letting yourself be playful from leaning into the lighter moments of life.
Somewhere along the way, many of us forget how to play. We trade in silliness for schedules, laughter for lists, and spontaneity for structure. We get caught up in being responsible and composed, and before we know it, we’ve tucked away the part of ourselves that once laughed freely, the part that doesn’t mind looking a little ridiculous if it means creating a memory.
But here’s the truth, laughter is medicine for the soul. It reminds us to exhale, to be present, and to connect. It bridges generations, heals tension, and brings out the very best in us. When we laugh, really laugh, we return to a place of lightness and love.
That silly grab bag misunderstanding wasn’t just a funny story; it was a nudge from life itself, a gentle reminder not to take things too seriously. Because joy isn’t found in perfection. It’s found in the laughter, the mix-ups, and the moments that remind us we’re human.
Find something to laugh about today. Let yourself be playful, even if it feels a little silly. Wear the hat, dance to the music, say yes to the unexpected. Life is too short not to find the humor hiding in the everyday. Because when we let go, when we choose laughter over perfection and playfulness over pressure, we open the door to something truly beautiful. When life hands you a chicken hat, you’ve just gotta go with it.
xo, Sheryl
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