Like back in 1986 days. Like when it was first released in June of 1986. And I laughed and laughed and laughed. I have such great memories of that afternoon matinee.

Yes, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a very funny movie, now deemed a classic. My memories are correct to remember how funny it was to see it for the first time. How we got the extra gut laugh by seeing Ferris tell the movie audience to go home after the movie’s credits rolled.

But the best part of my memory of that day comes from the circumstances surrounding that movie. I was in the midst of a painful season in my life. I was on staff at a church and one of the other staff members was working very hard to disparage me. Actually it was his fiance’ deviously working behind-the-scenes to destroy my job at that church. Jealous girl petty stuff playing out badly in a church leadership setting. Jealous girl petty stuff over a guy I was never interested in, who I encouraged him to date (my mistake!), and who he married and eventually divorced, and sidetracked his ministry for years.

I was weary of standing in my good behavior while the manipulative lies were whispered behind my back and in front of my back. My senior pastor would call us all in occasionally and tell them to stop this but I found out in hindsight that at that same time he was dealing with the soon-to-be exposed moral failing of his own. I was weary. I was young and weary and betrayed and confused.

On a low day a new “friend” made the hour-plus drive to me on short notice. He showed up at my door and said “I’m taking you to the movies. You need a break.” I remember this feeling and those words so well. Perhaps also because this “friend” grew into something special. I got the break I needed. That movie is such a memorable memory for both of us (we are still friends even though I married better) but it is so much more memorable to me.

During a day when the pain was overwhelming, I got to laugh with someone whom I knew also knew about my pain and showed care for me.

Makes me wish that during those overwhelmed days of pain when my son was the “fugitive of the week” or one of the other many times my heart has been broken by love that someone would have surprised me and taken me to see a movie mid-day. John did his best to help me through each of those dark days but he was also overwhelmed with the pain. A good husband is a gift but sometimes there are better gifts.

Who do you know that is in a lot of heartbroken pain right now? Is there something random you can do to create such a memorable memory? Maybe it is a movie? Maybe it is a piece of cheesecake? Maybe there is a Pinterest idea that is very special? Do it. Maybe it will become a story that is told for 30+ years. Maybe it will be the one thing that will give your friend the ability to hope (make a Plan B) because he/she will remember that he/she is worthy of having something good happen to him/her.

Pain is the beginning of this broken road of faith. Pain has some very dark days. All the more easier for your random and creative shot of light to be even brighter. Do something.