Telephone

Ever have something wonderful sour in your head because you couldn't find anyone to share it with? I called everyone I could today and NO ONE picked up or responded to my text message. I knew there was a point where the shine would be off the apple and the wonderful thing wouldn't be exciting anymore. Life chips away at wonderful news. It becomes eclipsed by just about everything else; fatigue, dinner, chores. And I didn't really want to share it here because it's a hard thing to write down and likely to be only significant to people who actually know me (or maybe not). But before the edges are completely worn off, here's the wonderful thing:

It's been a long two weeks but probably the two most interesting and engaging of my time here. I have been positively giddy these past weeks with the privilege my job affords me to meet extraordinary people and attempt extraordinary things. I am increasingly enamored with my boss who is brilliant and chaotic and knows how to make me feel needed even though he can easily accomplish the things he asks me to do or simply not do them. So aside from some troubling aches, pains, and mechanical failures in my body, things are busy but well. But then my dad called this evening. He and my mother had been talking about me and running down the list of all the great things about me (the empty nest is getting to them I think) a week or so ago and he had been meaning to call me right away so he could tell me what they said. He said I was a wonderful human being and that I raise the bar and elevate the humanity of everywhere I work. That he and my mother were so proud to be my parents. He told me to be me and screw everyone else (sound familiar Lodo?). I'm not doing his words justice but the 'elevate the humanity' piece is a direct quote. I feel very lucky to have a dad who would call to tell me something like that and parents who hold me in high esteem. It really felt good. I told him I didn't even know I needed to hear that but it meant the world to me. You would think a guy like that wouldn't chase after me with a vacuum when I visit with my dog but we all have our trips and switches. I wouldn't trade a dad who calls me up and tells me something like that and then declares, "enough warmth" laughs and quickly gets off the phone for the world. Before that he shared about his second ticket in as many days, his growing fear of driving as a result, and the thought that if these things came in threes, he was either going to get hit by a meteor or he should buy a lottery ticket. I offered perhaps both could happen; he could purchase a winning lottery ticket and then a meteor could hit 7-11. I think that's why he loves me so much. But since he seems to be defying the odds and we're related and all, I wished on another star tonight.