It was somewhere between 11:30pm and midnight. I turned off the light and began the stringray shuffle towards my bed. About 3/4 of the way there I stopped, contemplating a Lambeau Leap into bed just to entertain Jennifer. Jennifer! I turned around and shuffled back towards the blinking light switch. As soon as I hit it, my roommate Jennifer and I doubled over in laughter.
Well, I doubled over; she almost fell out of bed. It wasn't really that funny, but we laughed until our stomachs hurt. Everything's funnier in the middle of the night, right?
She had been reading when I walked in from the bathroom, turned off the light, and headed to bed.
Here's the kicker: I totally knew she was reading and turned out the light without thinking anything of it!
Here's the second kicker: She didn't say anything!
I guess you had to be there. We laughed until we couldn't breathe. That could be hazardous to your health.
You know what else could be hazardous to your health? Absent-mindedly going through life. Turning off the light before you get into bed despite the fact that your roommate is reading. Making it your goal to get from Point A to Point B as fast as you can without noticing the people you pass on your way. Every day counting down until the next day when you can sleep in.
I consider myself pretty observant and friendly. I noticed Jen was reading. I wave to snowplow drivers. I address people by name when I pass them on campus.
But get me in the caf and I am in a zone! Sure, I'll talk if I'm in line, but most people tell me they saw me in the caf but I looked like I was in a hurry, so they didn't say hi. In the caf, sometimes I don't acknowledge people until they call my name. Clueless.
What if we took the time to notice the other people in the caf? Instead of just seeing bodies in between us and the milk, what if we saw the faces of God's children? What if we actually payed attention to what we were doing rather than doing it half-heartedly or rush?
What if we left the light on for someone?
What if we cared?
<>< Katie
3 comments:
Katie!
Awesome post. Stingray shuffle? Still laughing--do I have permission to use that one? LOL
I hear you about "the zone." But I don't view that as entirely bad. You give some much attention to those around you the rest of the day, sometimes you just need to be around commotion but still "within your own house," you know? If I ever saw you in the caf and got ignored, I would understand (well, that's if you are writing for your blog!)
Hope all is well!
Jim
Yes, stingray shuffle.... awesome. You must use that in a story.
And, enjoy those laughs in the middle of the night w/ your roomie. Those are the best. :)
makes sense Katie
we should care for other people just like we care for ourselves
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