I really never saw myself as the runnin' kind
I'm just a digital brat with an insect mind
~ "Sci-Fi Kid" | Blitzen Trapper
I genuinely can't believe it's still Monday! What a busy day this was! "Vicki, take care of this ... Vicki, make a note of that ... Vicki, check on this for me ... go ask Vicki, she'll help you out ... Vicki, could you spearhead this, please? ... Vicki, make sure this gets done, please and thanks ... Vicki, please track this down and let me know what you find ... Vicki, send me a message as soon as you complete those edits ..."
...
I am incredibly grateful to work as assistant to a supervisor whom I've known for three years and whom I greatly admire and feel honored to work with. I'm also incredibly grateful that he trusts me to complete jobs accurately, graciously, and on time. With trust, of course, comes responsibility. And I feel very ... trusted ... so far this week. :-) It'll be nice to come in and know exactly what I have waiting for me, though - I much prefer coming in and getting right to work, over coming in and having to drift around waiting for something to do. It's interesting - when I'm at work, I hate to be idle; I have to be busy. And yet, when I'm at home, I hate to be busy; I much prefer to be idle. Go figure ...
***
And you tell me that you find it hard to grow
Well, I know, I know, I know
And you tell me that you've many seeds to sow
Well, I know, I know, I know ...
~ "Fool's Overture" | Roger Hodgson (Supertramp)
I had an interesting encounter this evening ... I was sitting on a bench, eating a very messy Middle Eastern sandwich whose proper name I forget, scrubbing mayonnaise off my face with my wrist while scrolling through Facebook with my elbow; when a very young, very lost Chinese boy came up to me and asked directions to another hall on campus.
I told him how to get where he was going, and he nodded and said he understood; after which he asked hopefully if I was a freshman, like him. I laughed and mentally blessed him and said no, I had just graduated. He asked if I liked it here. I said yes, I did, and asked if he liked it here.
A conversation unfolded ... he had only been here for a few weeks; his paperwork was all confused and he didn't know how long he would even get to stay, but he liked it here and didn't want to leave; he wanted to learn about American culture and civics; he was under a lot of pressure from his parents to choose the "correct" major; he envied me for having four younger siblings, as he was, of course, an only child. He shared his fear that his education would be interrupted and he would be older than everyone else when he finally got into his groove; and so I shared my unconventional educational story with him, and his face lit up with relief as he asked me about how I felt (old), whether I still had friends (yes), if I still felt accepted (absolutely), and so on. I could see fears and questions calming as I talked about my life as a 26-year-old undergraduate and he realized it wasn't as bad as he had thought.
Heather joined us at that point, and since we were leaving anyway, I offered to walk with him to where he was going. He accepted happily, I think more because he was eager to have someone to talk with than because he needed help ... on the way we talked about the cold weather, the campus food, and how to orient himself to the campus landmarks in case he got lost. When we got to the building he needed, we made sure he knew which classroom he was going to, then we said goodbye. He reached out for a handshake. I gave him a hug instead and told him to take care of himself.
I know I'll never see him again.
There are so many lonely little guys and girls on campus ... I've thought about this abstractly many times, but it's different when you get to talk with one of them and hear his life's story, his goals, his fears, and his hopes. There wouldn't have been any way to ask to check in on him without being creepy and weird; but I think I'd like to get more involved at the international student center on campus and see if I can make life a little less lonely and scary for these students who are so far away from their homes and families.
***
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
~ Doxology | Traditional Hymn
Father God, please lead me to a body of believers who follow you with their whole hearts, truly loving one another and reaching out in love and care to the world around them ... make me a worthy Christian to join such a group of believers ... help me keep the needs of my family in mind, and not make things difficult for them ... and keep my heart soft, not shunning the company of my brothers and sisters because of shyness or pride or laziness or apathy.
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