Today I went to a friend's house to take a movie back, and to borrow another one. My friend surprised me when she opened the door and asked if I would like some lunch. I responded in just the way I was hoping to never respond to an invitation again; with silence, and perhaps my mouth slightly agape. I was taken by surprise. I don't even think I said anything to her invitation. Then she invited me again, and to my shame, I didn't respond a bit better! I finally made a lame excuse about laundry (because laundry can't wait a half hour?) and went home.
Why? Why did I respond that way? I felt awful about it, so why did I do it? Perhaps I fell prey to the idea that I must protect her from her own generosity. I mean, what if I ate more Hawaiin Haystack than she wanted me to and kept her from important things? More likely, I fell prey to my own habit of keeping to a schedule, even a made up one that could easily be changed because -- really -- could laundry possibly be that super pressing?
Less than a week ago I was telling someone that I wanted to learn to respond to invitations with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, responding with silence and my mouth slightly agape seems to be a bad habit of mine! Then, at my first opportunity, I fail. I fear that I left my friend, or her daughter, thinking that I love spending time washing dirty socks more than I like eating free food and enjoying their company! I love my friend, and her daughter. I even like their food. Visiting is one of my favorite things to do in the whole world.
So, NEXT time I get invited to do something, even if it surprises the brains right out of me, I am hoping to remember to respond graciously, with enthusiasm. When I am brave enough to invite someone to do something with me, I love when they respond with joy -- or even gentle kindness! If I really had needed to be somewhere I could have responded, "Wow! Thanks so much for inviting me. I would love to stay if I hadn't promised to be (insert important thing here) in ten minutes." That would have been infinitely better than what I did.
I want my friend to know that I love spending time with her, and her daughter, much more than I like spending time with dirty, or even clean, laundry. This is true even if I have a fun movie to watch while I fold clothes. It is a good thing that I have kind, and forgiving friends, who (I hope) realize that occasionally my brain steps out for a vacation without warning me.
*Picture of Hawaiin Haystack from recipedutchess.blogspot.com
*Picture of Laundry from puzzlingcreativity.blogspot.com
1 comment:
Oh, Sher. I'm sorry that happened. Even social butterflies get hung up on a flower sometimes. (You're the butterfly, just so you know.)
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