Learning to stick the landing.

Dear friend.

One of the things I've noticed about us is that neither of us takes compliments well. It's like doing a perfect gymnastics routine, and failing to stick the landing. You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I've always dreamed of performing the perfect gymnastics routine. When my P.E. teacher Mr. Schulz returned from Korea, his mission, strangely, was just that, for every proud graduate of Peet Junior High: that they would be fully functioning gymnasts. I was, I'm sure you could quickly assess, not one of his best projects. Couldn't climb the rope. Couldn't hold myself up on the rings. Terrified of heights. Even got high centered on the pommel horse. several times. Might have broken my tailbone on the balance beam, but never got checked out, because we lived in the "walk it off, you'll be fine" days. But just know, I dreamed of sticking the landing. Even though I was never in the air long enough for that to become a real issue.

No, friend, when we're in conversations, do you know what word neither of us can say? "You're welcome" "Glad that it worked" "Thanks for saying something" It's like we're not comfortable with the spotlight. If we can shift the narrative fast enough, we can tell each other what we're thankful for, instead.

So once and for all, lets do it. You're thankful for that thing I did the one time at the place with the person you loved. I'm thankful, that when the last thing you needed in the room was one more a-hole, you still loved me, because I was the biggest and smelled the worst. Let's say it together. You're welcome. And thanks, God, for using us in the life of the other.

thus spake,

me