The Story of My Week

Man, it's been a week.

Mind you, when I say that, I don't by any stretch of the imagination mean to imply that there was a terrible tragedy in my life this week. In fact, I can honestly say that one could consider themselves blessed to have only had to deal with the particular brand of crazy that I have over the past week.

There are highlights to the insanity. In particular, the odd adventure of the apparently deaf/mute man who first borrowed my lawnmower while only half asking, then managed to get 10 bucks out of me (and I'm still not clear on what it was for), then finished it all off by banging on my door at 3AM that same night looking for more money (which I did not provide).

This was one of many different side trips and distractions that somehow left me worn, sleep deprived, and wondering just how I got through an entire week's worth of work without pulling my hair out. It probably helped that I got my hair cut this week, preventing it from being anywhere near grasping length.

But even though I had a few minor additional stress factors, an abnormal amount of physical fatigue, and at one point I entered a state of emotional instability that I hadn't hit since high school (which is as glorious as it sounds like it might be), I really feel like I accomplished some things this week. What, you ask?

1) I learned that, despite what I may have convinced myself over the course of several years, I am still capable of feeling major emotions. Mind you, that sword swings both ways, but it's still kind of refreshing to know that.

2) I learned that I still have a pretty handy set of friends around that have my back. Mind you, some of my friends have an awful tendency to be unavailable when I sometimes think I need them, but I have a fairly stable corps of people of varying backgrounds and experience, and somehow the combination was just enough to get me through some stuff. But then really, sometimes you just need an ear to listen.

3) I think, but I'm not completely certain, that I may have become a better friend myself. Maybe getting more in tune with myself just makes me more likely to do the same with others, but I'd like to think... no really hope... that if I haven't returned the favor of being there to someone yet, that I will at some point in the future.

4) When you fall asleep with your lights on, strange people will see that as an invitation to knock on your door at 3AM. Although to be fair, the last time a weirdo did that, I'm pretty sure all of my lights were off. There shouldn't be a lot of people doing that, you know?

So what now? I couldn't say. Honestly, I feel fairly good for someone that had the week I did. And while I know that I'm always just one rogue event away from entering yet another cycle of self doubt and/or anxiety, I feel like I should have a better grip on it now. And it's very rare to say that in the course of a week, you can actually feel like you may have grown as a person.

(Although I'm inclined to note, strictly for gambling purposes, that the over/under for this new enlightened age of being is 14 days. Man, Vegas will take odds on anything...)