Thursday, March 6, 2008

Unadulterated Time, That's All I Ask

I really hate growing old. Not so much for the mushy skin and insatiable urges to get coffee at Macdonald's at all times of day (Seriously, look at an old person at Macdonald's, chances are they have a piping hot cup of coffee)

No, the reason I hate growing old is that friends don't really like to hang out, they like to "meet." It's never, "Come on over, lets eat bugles and watch Outbreak backwards so it looks like the people are getting better" anymore. Growing older reduces it to, "Hey man, I have some time from 12 - 1 tomorrow. Want to grab lunch?"

Grab lunch? I can grab lunch any time of day. Grab lunch means touching food in an abrasive manner, not two people spending valuable time together. Also, I never feel like I want to meet someone if they want to "grab lunch". They are going to eat at that time anyway. I don't want to have to try to steal attention away from your club sandwich. If you really cared about getting together with me, you would say, "Let's hang out and maybe we can fit in a blooming onion at Chilis if time permits."

If you want to see me, see me. Don't include me into your daily schedule. It doesn't show that you care at all. It just says, "hey you mean a lot to me, I am just unwilling to fit you into my schedule."

That's all I have to say about that

6 comments:

Caitlin Mackenzie said...

I do agree that people are too obsessed with their schedules to understand how valuable it is to spend time with friends without schedule constraints.

However, I would like to point out something, I think food is one of the most valuable outlets for spending time with others. In fact, the "dinner table" is seen as one of the most valuable arenas of forming relationships in the bible. I value my time feasting with others so greatly, that I wish "grabbing a bite to eat" could last 3 hours (like it often did with Anna in France...good times).

Isn't hanging at a house chatting over some bugles or bagel bites also meeting over food? I think maybe its a matter of preference of formality/atmosphere.

I guess when it comes down to it... I hope you still value our times together over food as much as I do.

Face it... food brings people together.

Anonymous said...

i wish i knew how to live differently.

if i didn't make time for the things that are important, i would probably do nothing but watch The Wonder Years on ABC Family [i love the nostalgia].

i want to be more spontaneous or, maybe, spirit-driven(?).

sometimes i think that Jesus kept a schedule but was really good at keeping it a secret.

or maybe He was just in such close communion with the Father that He allowed Him to direct His schedule.

Jesus was really good at making time for people. many of those times centered around a meal [dinner at matthew's, dinner at zaccheus', the last supper, etc]. i will agree that these meals were probably more like caitlin's dinners with anna than "friendship-in-an-hour-or-less" lunches.

oh, how i wish that this was what we could do all day.

i wonder if there were people that thought of Jesus

"man, that guy is busy." or
"He is soooo hard to get a lunch with".

one thing is for sure... busyness is definitely not godliness.

i wish that life allowed for you and i to spend more time together, reid.

then again, maybe it does and i am too stupid to realize it.

you are loved.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes showing care is fitting people into our schedule with hour slots I think. I know that sounds ridiculous and people might not feel care, but when someone is so busy, that they make the effort to spend and hour to and hour and a half with someone in there busy day wouldn't you feel cherished. Life sometimes gets busy, and you have to prioritize, and put what God wants first vs. what you want first. Sometimes I hate that because I feel like i am letting people down, but during my stage of life right now, i feeled cared for most when someone UNDERSTANDS my busyness, and is willing to work with me in order to find time, and if care is expressed in that way, then I feel valued, and will wanna make for more time in my week with that person.

Reid I love that you are moving in with me because I am so blessed to have you as a friend, and you have always been there for me in tough situations. I look forward to hanging out late at night and laughing at Outbreak [forwards]. That movie is FUNNY

peace

Caitlin Mackenzie said...

Well said, boys.

That was indeed a fun thread of conversation.

Anonymous said...

reid's blog is a hotbed of activity?

new hang out spot?

Caitlin Mackenzie said...

I'd hang out here.