Sometimes, without meaning to, I get kinda cocky. I start feeling good about my life: I have a good job, good friends, the perfect boyfriend. And I start to swell with this all-encompassing contentment and sense of well-being, this nothing-can-touch-me swagger in my step. And then I spend Saturday afternoon with Mama Gray. She was my college academic advisor, the professor of all my english classes, my boss, my pastor’s wife, my go-to and my counselor. She filled every role possible for a very formative two years. And she is the EPITOME of quiet sensibility and wisdom, with a kickin’ sense of humor to boot. All it takes is a few moments in her presence to realize I don’t know CRAP. As I was reminded last Saturday. Ask her a question—any question!—and between her doctorate and her husband’s, you’ll get your answer. And it’s going to be the RIGHT answer. Me, I make most of my decisions with a coin-toss. Lasik again? Why not? An overpriced olive oil dish? DO IT. They, however, make their decisions based on decades of travel and education. For fun, they learn to play the harp or make stained glass windows or head up to their own personal observatory to study the planets with their telescopes and macintosh computers. Me, I drink wine in the bathtub and fall asleep at eight. And that’s why this weekend was so good. It was a total reality-check and step-check. And I need to get my butt in gear if I want to get ANYwhere close to where they are—now OR down the road.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
My Perfect Life
Sometimes, without meaning to, I get kinda cocky. I start feeling good about my life: I have a good job, good friends, the perfect boyfriend. And I start to swell with this all-encompassing contentment and sense of well-being, this nothing-can-touch-me swagger in my step. And then I spend Saturday afternoon with Mama Gray. She was my college academic advisor, the professor of all my english classes, my boss, my pastor’s wife, my go-to and my counselor. She filled every role possible for a very formative two years. And she is the EPITOME of quiet sensibility and wisdom, with a kickin’ sense of humor to boot. All it takes is a few moments in her presence to realize I don’t know CRAP. As I was reminded last Saturday. Ask her a question—any question!—and between her doctorate and her husband’s, you’ll get your answer. And it’s going to be the RIGHT answer. Me, I make most of my decisions with a coin-toss. Lasik again? Why not? An overpriced olive oil dish? DO IT. They, however, make their decisions based on decades of travel and education. For fun, they learn to play the harp or make stained glass windows or head up to their own personal observatory to study the planets with their telescopes and macintosh computers. Me, I drink wine in the bathtub and fall asleep at eight. And that’s why this weekend was so good. It was a total reality-check and step-check. And I need to get my butt in gear if I want to get ANYwhere close to where they are—now OR down the road.
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1 comment:
and what's the fun in that??? no offense to mamma gray, but have you ever thought she admires your blind indignance to challenge a question with a request for another glass in the tub? wait, is indignance a word? i have no idea what it means, and how great is that?! i spent several hours with you and i'm still telling stories of your grace, humor, view of life through your stories and photos, and more! More than i can say for a silly dual doctorate family. well...that's my view. but i'm just a street-smart, travel-wise undergraduate. go fig. loves you.
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