Cliches

Ever had a cliche come true? I was told once, "Divert daily, withdraw weekly, move out monthly, and vacate annually." The point? If I wanted to have a productive and peaceful life, I needed to be sure to get away from the disappointing humdrum of life. You may have guessed it by my last post, but Christmas with the fam was less than fulfilling. I love them very much, but I didn't anticipate that kind of stress. Then it happened. A day I planned months ago to surprise my wife ended up providing me with the opportunity to forget about my hurt. We had such a great time that by the time I remembered what had happened, my fresh perspective made me realize things aren't all bad. I guess cliches aren't all bad either.

Black Sheep

Aren't black sheep normally black because they don't fit into the moral schema of a family or community? How is it, then, that being at home for the holidays doesn't feel like home at all? How is it that I feel more out of place here than when I began my undergrad in a foreign country, the only person from my home state, district, etc., etc.? I look in the mirror and see my dad. I make certain gestures, and my siblings stare at me from the reflective surface. Even my 4'11 1/2" mom comes out sometimes. Yet I wonder how it is that everyone here can be so stressed, so distracted. How can a group of self-proclaimed "open-minded" people assume that the entire world exists within a bubble 50 miles in diameter, the center of which happens to be the house from which I'm posting? What about the west coast, the midwest...the next state, for that matter? So many people with so many opinions and points of view...yet, they're all "blind" to the real problems of the world. My opinions are taken with an "mm-hmm" and passed over like the coleslaw on the Christmas buffet table. "He's different," they all think. Maybe so, but is one a black sheep because he/she believes in freedom for everyone, opportunities for everyone, holy solutions for everyone? Just venting, I guess. That's what we black sheep do.

Number One

How do people do it? How do people move through life in a quiet existence, frightened of friends, community, their own shadows? There is no one to encourage their good points, no one to have fun with, no one to make them think. There is no one to challenge a wrong, no one to sit alone with, no one to vent to. Aren't we all longing for two or three people we can call up anytime, talk to for an hour about anything, and hang up without worrying about the other person's thoughts or emotions? Don't we all want a group that will climb mountains with us (sometimes more literally than others)? My heart is light because I feel I have that tonight. I'm not alone as I sit by myself typing, and I'm overjoyed!

Late at Night

What is it about late nights that bring out the best...or worst...of us? Why is it that an energizing conversation can lead us to try something we wouldn't before? Why is it that our best papers are written, songs created, ideas implemented all late at night? I'm probably the last one to jump on the blog bandwagon, but sorting through thoughts ought to be fun--even if I'm the only one to read it. Maybe I'll read it again late tonight.