I was thinking today and yesterday that I need to write a poem about the ladybugs that infest our kitchen: they're slowly dying. Pondering the ladybugs has tuned my senses to a frequency quite conducive to observation, and coming home tonight stopped me dead in my tracks. No dishes unclean. No counter unwiped. No clutter in the living or dining rooms.
My housemate is under lots of post-season academic stress from this semester and is warming up for even more in the pre-season training period for next semester. Even so, he finds time to clean. All I do is entertain in a desperate bid to affirm key relationships. This friend of mine, on the other hand, calmly and contently manages to spend time with certain people on a regular basis, teach twice a week, grade papers, plan a massive career change, organize and orchestrate all kinds of non-traditional academic experiences for students, represent a faulty organization to other organizations, and build new bridges and contacts for his employers. Oh, and don't forget serving as standby academic, romantic, and emotional counselor for a campus of 900 collegians. Sheesh. He even finds time to read his Bible and maintain ties with out-of-town friends and family.
And the funny thing is, I don't feel intimidated or belittled by the obvious contrast. M makes his presence and encouraging one. I hope I get to be that talented, someday.
Posted by nickles at December 9, 2004 01:28 AMHey, your housemate is amazing. He's a super friend. He just stays involved with people, no matter what circumstances are involved in either side of the relationship.
Posted by: Krista at December 10, 2004 06:48 PM