Ever experience a moment so raw in its intensity that you just knew you had been touched by the divine? Sounds pretty wierd, I know, but I think I may have just experienced such a moment.
I was sitting in my office, with the door shut to prevent anyone from bothering me. "You're my ministry hero John" - "Shut up Jimminy Cricket."
The reason I had to be so impersonal is I'm in the middle of my last Masters course and have a huge Book Review due today on a book I just finished reading, uh, 13 minutes ago. Besides the Review I have a pile of other readings and assignments due as well plus I am still working full time. On top of that we leave for Disneyland in 3 days so I have to have all this stuff done plus get all packed and organized for the trip. Crap, I haven't even got any American money yet.
So. . . I had shut my door, refused to answer the phone in the hopes that by Saturday I could actually enjoy the land of the Mick.
As I tried to work a cloud of defeatism began to set in. You know the one, your passion fizzles , your heart pounds your head swims and if left uncontrolled paralysis sets in and before you know it, you've become useless.
Well I was in the early stages of this when Peter opened the door to my office, waltzed in and began to speak in his broken English. I must admit I was a tad annoyed because;
A. Did he not see that my door was shut?
B. Did he really not knock?
C. Does he really not know how busy I am?
Before I could be a Jerk I was hugging Peter and welcoming him in. Peter is a 34 yr old Sudanese refugee .
I got talking to Peter and here is where that moment comes in. Peter began to tell me how he had to be at the airport at 3:00am this Saturday morning so he could catch his 5:45am flight to the Sudan. Yes the Sudan. Peter was going home to see his grandmother, siblings and parents. Peter went on to explain that once he arrived he would have to walk the rest of the way because there are no automobiles in the part of Sudan where he grew up. When I asked him how far he had to walk he said "36hrs" without even blinking. And then he said it again, probably because of the way I was looking at him. I was about to respond when he told me that it had been 20 years since he'd seen his family "so I'm pretty excited" he said.
On a day where a blog is the last thing I have time for, I just had to tell you - My cloud is gone.
John
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
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3 comments:
Hey John I'm pretty busy today too, what made you think I had time for your blog?
Just kidding, crazy. Sometimes when I am at home and a vehicle runs out of gas or I get stuck in a field or something, I have to walk like 2 or 3 hours back to the yard, and usually I am not very excited to get home by the time I get there, I'm usually pretty angry. I mean 2 or 3 hours is a long time to walk, and I have right to be mad, or so I thought. Maybe next time that happens I'll remember this.
Wow - sounds like you needed a wake up call - you just had to pass it on eh?
Seriously - thanks John - that was a good reminder. Now get back to work.
Ohhhhhhh! Now I know why I didn't receive a response to my "have a great time" comment; I said Disney World, whereas you are going to Disney Land.......different places, same idea.
Just the same, don't get sick in the tea-cup ride, lol. Also make sure to check out Universal Studios too. (More for grown-ups, but maybe you'll take advantage of the Disney Daycare....seriously, it's like the one at Ikea, but biggger and better.
Again have fun, and by the time you are back the Oilers should be in a play-off position.....or 11th....who knows.
Steve
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