In the words of Dori, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...."

People are aggravating, right? I mean, we all have to interact with other people every day. Or at least most of us I would assume. That interaction is not always pleasant. We’ve all spent time in frustrating traffic, or dealing with offensive drivers. Some of us go to jobs where we don’t necessarily enjoy the company of our coworkers or bosses. Most of us have had at least one experience where we would rate the customer service as poor. Do those things tend to pale in comparison to uncomfortable interactions you have with friends, family, or loved ones? Those are the interactions that leave us feeling restless at night. The ones that fill our heads so full of thoughts we can’t focus on the task at hand. At least that’s the way it is in my world.
Mother Teresa said, “It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.” Ah, this strikes a cord with me. I wonder how we accomplish this. Sometimes it’s easy enough, but when we are dealing with other human beings who are also broken, hurt, and confused it becomes rather sticky. Do you ever have those times where you think of the conversations that took place, and then envision the “other” conversation that didn’t take place? The one where you told the other person what you really thought? Why do we hold back? Out of respect sometimes I suppose. In order to be mature, the bigger person? Because they wouldn’t understand or possibly listen anyways?
I’ve spent this week having so many of those “other” conversations in my own mind that I have begun to feel as if my life was a circus and I am in need of a mental vacation. I realize that all of this probably means I am in the midst of personal growth; however it’s awfully difficult to view this as a positive when I still feel squeezed by the pressure of it all. I keep trying to write, and the thoughts continue to go nowhere. I try to devise a plan; however no solution is coming to surface. Oh, and the world keeps turning, children still need parental guidance, bills still need to be paid, and work still has to be done.