23 August 2008

The Quiet

Life has been pretty busy lately.  My knee has been causing me trouble all week.  I moved into my new apartment one week ago, yet I have not finished unpacking.  Work is bordering on unbearable, and I'm starting to feel the weight of the impending semester.

At night, I come home and sit on my bed, physically and emotionally exhausted.  The quiet of the evening overwhelms me, and I'm alone with my thoughts.  Day turns to night as I evaluate my life.  Directionless, I plug away at work and school.  Life doesn't always turn out the way you planned, and then sometimes, you lose the plan entirely.

Today, I change things up--I go to get the mail.  I pass two people in my ward sitting on the grass, chatting.  My super-friendly ward (more on that to follow) has been a real adjustment for me.  I recognize the chatters--I've met them before.  I may even know one of their names.  If I approach them, they'll probably talk to me.  Fear wins out, and I smile, but say nothing as I walk past.

Alone again, my thoughts race.  I turn on the TV to drown out the screaming quiet, but I feel only slightly comforted.  I decide to continue in my unpacking.  First priority?  The XBox, naturally.

1 comment:

somebody's mother said...

Remember, you haven't taken a vow of silence, or a vow of fear. You can simply say "hi" sometimes without feeling obligated to engage in a long conversation. Other times you can chat. You made this move for a reason. Now trust your initial prompting. You don't have to jump into the deep end. Just wade in from the shallow end and keep your feet a little wet even when it's scary. You may even find that you enjoy splashing around knee deep from time to time.

And watch out for that XBox- don't let it beguile you into an arid desert.