Loss of Contact

So, I was at church a couple of weeks ago, and the time came for the meet and greet.  As most of you are probably aware, in most Protestant churches there’s a short period in between the music and the sermon during which everyone says hello to those around them, often shaking hands.  This was my first time at this church, so I did my best to say hello to everyone around me, and, of course, shake hands.  I said hello to everyone nearby to the front and sides, and turned around to shake hands with whoever was behind me.  This is when I encountered trouble.

The woman behind me was fairly attractive, so initially I didn’t notice that something was rather different about her.  I did notice, however, when I reached out to shake her hand.  She kind of looked at me like I was from outer space; that is when my brain finely comprehended what was different about her: she had no arms.

My feeble mind did not take this well; I had no idea what to do from there so I mumbled a quick “hello” and turned around. I felt bad, but in retrospect have to wonder: what’s the appropriate greeting?

You can comment now, if you want.  Go ahead.  Do it.

I found two blogs today I’m rather fond of.  One should make sense to you regardless of your background; the other is more like a really long series of inside jokes. :)

Stuff White People Like

and

Stuff Christians Like

I spent the better part of today driving around a truck with assorted flashing caution lights on it, hammering signs into the ground with a small sledgehammer.  What does it say about me that that was the highlight of my week?

So.  I’ve never really lived in a place that was subject to tornadoes, so much.  So when I moved here I bought a weather radio.  Last night the radio went off at least 4 times with tornado warnings.  For those who might be unfamiliar, a tornado warning means one or more tornadoes have actually been spotted.  My weather radio is particularly fancy and only goes off when a warning applies to the county I live in, so last night was a bit of a tornado festivus.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a basement.  In the absence of one you’re supposed to be in an interior room.  My only interior rooms with no windows are the bathrooms. I think you can see where this is going.  With actual tornadoes out there, I wasn’t about to just go to sleep on my bed, right next to an enormous window.  But I had to sleep.  So, after putting my cats in their carriers in one bathroom, I put a bunch of blankets and pillows in the tub, and tried to sleep.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work out so well.  After the last tornado warning expired, I got in a real bed, and thankfully dreamed of disasters that do not require sleeping in tubs.

Some days are harder than others.  Do you ever come to the end of the day and wonder, maybe a little helplessly, if this is all there is?

I know, in my heart and in my head, that it isn’t.  But I also know that I keep waiting for life to begin. I know that sounds ridiculous.  My life began twenty-nine years ago.  And I have felt so very alive, so many days.  But rignt now I’m asleep.  And I need something to awaken me.