When 2 Worlds Collide

Wednesday I received a novel of an email from a very good friend that I didn’t have time then to read. A saved email makes it even more special. It’s like an unopened letter. With anticipation mounting I opened it this fine birthday morning. It was like my birthday present from her, I thought.

It was great. She writes just as if she is in the room with me chatting. She talked about her church, starting running, and other random life things. I was laughing so hard. I even read parts to my roommate that were extremely funny.

Then I got to the end. Normally I just go from one email to the next. I couldn’t. I had to get up and walk away. As tears filled my eyes I walked down the hall. Partly to get away, but partly because the yuck living in my stomach were telling me to find the toilet.  I had such joy reading that email. I was back in her house just chatting. Then I was struck with reality. She’s not here. I’m sitting on the toilet wishing I wasn’t. Then to make things worse I looked over at the bucket of soaking clothing that I, and no one else, must hunch over and scrub with my bare hands, hoping that the soap doesn’t eat holes in my skin.

I was hit with reality. Don’t get me wrong. I love living here, serving, teaching, and just being. But when my worlds collide and the contrast is so evident it makes me wish for the comfortable days of the past. Days when friends were close, the electricity worked, favorite food items were near by, and most of all family was down the hall.