Second Lent Goal

Okay. I locked my keys in the car at the gym this morning. Ugh. Thankfully, Bobby had a spare key and everything worked out. But while I was waiting for rescue, I had some time to think. I was at the entrance to the gym, watching for Bobby's car, and seeing people I half-recognized walking in and out. These aren't friends. I don't know their names. I know nothing about them. I just recognize them from classes. So, laugh if you must, but with vague associations like these, my instinct is to busy myself with something else or pretend I don't see them in order to avoid a social situation where I wouldn't know exactly what to do. Heaven forbid we make eye contact!

I don't have these issues with perfect strangers. I can be polite and friendly to strangers. It's the not-stranger-not-friend gray area that ties me up in knots so thoroughly. Then it occurred to me that maybe this could be my bite-sized chunk for Lent. Maybe this could be the first step towards loving people other than my friends and family. Maybe, instead of looking away, I could allow eye contact...and smile...or even say "hi"...my heart rate has doubled at the mere thought of this. I'm such a social pansy sometimes.

Okay, I'll do it. That's my goal.

*whimper*

Locked out. Sigh.