Relationships- Is That All She Thinks About?!

Yes and No. Here at Westmont, the Res. Life staff is based on relationships. But my thoughts and questions are relevant and necessary ( I like to think.) Anyways....

I had an off day yesterday- It was strange, one of those bad-but-for-no-good-reason kind of days. I'm a little homesick lately but I think I'll manage. And of course, because God knows exactly what you need and when you need it- yesterday in chapel the speaker, Toya Cooper, mentioned a hymn who's song I need to hear: "Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul." That helped.





Among the things I was thinking about yesterday, the way that I percieve relationships was a prominent feature. I had an indy with my RD Audrey and I was supposed to come up with goals for myself for the year and one of them was to work on strengthening and maintaining my existing friendships. This is going to be a bit tricky for me because most of my closest friends are away- either graduated, abroad, or emotionally distanced. I am not very good at using the phone to call people, mostly because I am better with investing time not words, and the distance makes it hard for me when I can't just sit down and enjoy the presence of someone else. Not to mention that many of my close friends are similar personality types so the phone really doesn't work from both ends.


I also get frustrated by the fact that I often feel like I can't add new friends if I'm trying to keep the close friends I already have. It's like I have a close-friend cap at around 5 or 6 people and despite the fact that there are a number of people I want to be closer too, I am not willing to cut old friends out to make room. Audrey helped me come to terms with this- she and I talked about how you really can only invest yourself in a limited number of people if you want those relationships to be exceptionally deep and meaningful. She drew out a map of sorts (see diagram) This is a map of relationships as determined by Jesus. In His inner circle were Peter, James, & John- not to say that he didn't care about everyone else, but these 3 He really invested in. In the next ring were the rest of the disciples. Jesus obviously cared quite about for them and held them rather close as well. Next are the 72 followers that he sent out in pairs to His is work- They were still part of the incrowd. And finally comes the multitudes, people who Jesus was not necessarly best friends with, but people he generally cared about and invested in.
All this to say- it nice to have full rings but one can't successfully foster intimate relationships if one is trying to cram the multitudes into the inner circle. I am not inept at friendships after all. Audrey is very good at making me feel better. And I give her alot of credit for not bolting when the levies broke and I cried uncontrolably (again, for no apparent reason) in the middle of the Coffee Bean on our Indy. Thanks Audrey :).

Regardless, today has been wonderful. It started at 6 am with some people watching at starbucks for a sociology project (People watching for a grade! I should have been a soc. major!) Then to Biomechanics lab at 8 where I was wide awake and proceded to dominate the muscles of the wrist and hand. Then to art class which is just good in and of itself. Then confimation that I will indeed be able to graduate and walk in May of this year!!!!! Then a great convorsation about plans for Europe Mayterm that the Kinesiology department is putting on and that I am planning to apply for. I'm a good mental state- which is excelent considering I've got to hunker down and study today- German Test and Biomechanics quiz tomorrow. Wish me luck!

All my love.