Dishrag Summer, Part I
“Jen, your blog just called. It was looking for you and heard that you came over Fridays, but I explained that was just in the evenings for Bible study. Anyways, I might have mentioned some of the camping trips, beach visits, game nights, baptisms, and upcoming trips to Vermont and NYC. For some reason that seemed to make it a little upset. Just thought I’d let you know.”
So I was informed in a recent e-mail by a well-meaning friend: the Blog is mad at me. It feels ignored, excluded, abandoned, shunned. I understand. Because I have ignored, excluded, abandoned, and – in practice, though not in spirit – shunned the Blog. Strange, too, that I should do so right when, for a change, I have some blog-worthy memories to record and share with the general public, along with praises, prayer requests, and maybe even pics. It’s been a mad summer, and I’m tired. But I’m loving it, and I don’t want it to end. The weather can change and business can slow, but I’d just as soon the days stay long and friends not go back to or leave for school, not get serious about work, not settle into autumnal routines, and not get generally responsible about time. Because time is what we seem to have an abundance of; or maybe it’s something we’ve created. I, for one, have managed to train my body to survive without sleep. I’ve seen more sunrises this summer than I have in the rest of my life put together. Some I’ve seen alone, some with others by my side. The author of the above e-mail, who may wish to remain anonymous, has accused me on more than one occasion of going through an early mid-life crisis. I can’t wholly deny it, though in assenting I suppose I open myself up to the idea that I really might be dead by 48. At this rate, wearing out by then seems just about right… (more…)