So in preparation for our anniversary this weekend (of 11 years) - T kindly gave me my first shiner. It's really funny to me, although it wasn't at the time my nose was running and I was weeping uncontrollably. Truth is I was looking for a remote in the bottom of the TV cabinet, he up top, and he dropped one of our 16 other remotes on my eye. Ouch. But what I have learned from my one and only battle scar, is more than just that I need to be aware of falling objects.
In the 4 days since this happened, I have had exactly TWO people ask what happened to me. Now I'm not the embarrassed type and I usually don't keep things to myself, so I don't know why everyone I have come in contact with has been too embarrassed to ask me why I look like Rocky's sparing partner. I have had a couple friends say "well... I was wondering but I didn't want to ask". You didn't want to ask???? Maybe it's because they know that T would never hit me.... but then why not ask? Maybe it's because they are afraid someone MAY have hit me.... but then why not ask? And then I started thinking..... how often do I "not ask" because of fear of hearing something that may make ME uncomfortable?
How often do we ask "how are ya doing?" and then nod "well that's just greeeeat" and walk away? We have become so self-absorbed that we often don't want to be burdened by another one's heavy load. "It's not my place..... I don't know them that well..... I really don't want to intrude..." But why not?? Black eyes are not the only battle wounds that jump out like big red flags. How often do you meet the friend or acquaintance with the down-cast eyes or the timid, uncomfortable conversation? Their wounds may be just as painful and we look the other way. I know how busy life is. How we run from ball practice, to church services, to the grocery store. But we still need to see that by flying on our jet plane through life, we may be leaving other's stranded in the process. I know that God didn't put me on this Earth to go to ball practice, or to even keep the church nursery. I was put here to develop relationships, with my family, my friends, and all those I encounter. To show them a peace that I have, (black eye or not). If I can't take the time to ask my children or my friends about their own shiners, than I am falling down on my job in this world and probably deserve my own beating.
As an aside: 1 out of my 2 friends' comment: "I hope T looks worse than you do!!" ha,ha.
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