Saturday, September 4, 2010

Standing on the Couch Where You Never Stood

I'm viewing the idea of blog in general as solo cooking. I am standing by that stove with some shorts and slippers on expecting just to make some awesome dish for myself (because, let's face it, how many people will really read these words??). However, there comes a time, when someone unexpected comes to your house and instead of saying, "Excuse me, I was planning on maintaining an introverted mindset this evening. Would you please leave so that I may gobble these eggs while staring blankly at the back table leg?", I choose to make such a unique meal that people have to stay for some reason. Metaphors aside, the blog is UDL. It has multiple uses and more than we even planned on. I can use it to vent out my own pains, to try to sound coherent, or to inspire others.

Sitting where you never have before is precious. I would recommend the kitchen area with back to the stove, the house entrance, or, if we were to leave the house, the front row in chapel. What is odd for me about sitting is that I believe I have better attention in this position. I can either listen better while sitting or walking. If a marine sergeant called me to attention, I would definitely draw aside a folding chair.
Sitting often means a good conversation for me. Let's talk about the lunchroom. Love it. Ordered chaos as usual. There is constant conversation and the voice of the room is one long language of laughter. The bigger the more it bellows. I suppose the lunchroom is either where I intend to take things way too seriously or I leave all troubles at the door. I will eat my sandwich, and I will talk to you, and I certainly hope that we laugh together. My view of the lunchroom is largely based on the educational system. It's sandwiched in between classes. And yes, I'm a pun-master!

In one of the last highlights of summer, I met with some brothers at Panera bread. Conversation was more luscious than my breadbowl. And we sat at some extremely high tables that were demanding that I sit at them. Two of these tables were connected to provide space for about 10 chairs altogether. I randomly rejoiced with my friend by observing, "Look! These tables can bring strangers together at lunch!" And then I realized any table could (should) do that. What astounds me is the contentment that businesspersons possess to simply gorge their face at an empty table. It's the way things go but how unfortunate. At college I am a huge fan of finding someone and hoping that they are up to talking and improving the lunch experience. Why would I discontinue that at a career level?

It's interesting to think about the symbol of table in the Christian life. Christ sat with sinners and saints, as he lived amongst both as well. While the Pharisees required purity, Christ's table created it. It was a fellowship, not just an eating-fest.

If this is a question of comfort zone, which do I love more? My human brothers or my Wi-FI connection? Will I cooperate with a fellow soul or manipulate my technological device?

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