almost a week

Well folks, may term is almost over and I would have to say that being on campus doesn't suck as much as I thought it would. In fact it was probably as good as my freshmen year when I went to Columbia. I got to know my SST group better and learn way more Chinese than I would have thought possible in three weeks. But I guess the real question is how much will I remember. But really what has made this may term wonderful is my girl friends. Being around my closest friends after three months without them has been wonderful. There is no other group (than maybe my family) that I am so comfortable in, so free to be myself. Each of my friends are so wonderful in different ways, there is Meryl who has been my roomie forever and we know each others tics like the back of our hands. There is Jess who can sense how I am doing a mile away and listens like no tomorrow. Steph with her great caring, joy and generosity. Katrina with her wit and wisdom. Becca with her giggles, humor and sense of knowing me longer than anyone else. Katie with her exciting blogs of foreign places and amazing writing. Kristi with her inner joy, kindness and warmth. And so many others, I am so blessed. Yesterday at potluck, a group of us was have a conversation about Gender and God and how changing "he" to "she" in various verses can really change the tone and meaning of the scripture. It made me think about how I see God. I think at the times I feel closest to God it is when I imagine my closest woman friend with a touch of father in her. One evening this past week I was lying in bed so angry, sad, and frustrated by the memories of past difficult relationships. It was late and as I lay there I couldn't get myself to relax, but as I lay there I began to pray. Not very eloquently, just asking for help, asking why, asking for reassurance in a similar fashion to how I talk to my girl friends. And as I did that I slowly relaxed and I felt so much in peace about it all and I began to realize the pettiness of my thoughts and how much I needed to let it all go. It was a really beautiful moment for me, and one that hasn't happened that often for me. On a completely different note, this may term has also been a new beginning for me and having crushes! I haven't had a real good ole' crush in quite sometime, so it is nice to have the thrill of thinking about a guy again and all the sappy things that go along with it. Of course nothing may come of them, but they are nice to have once in a while. With that I need to go get un-smelly in the shower.