I was walking past this girl I knew at the gym and smiled.
She pointed at her teeth. “Yup” I nodded in agreement and flashed her my pearly whites newly accessorized with metal.
I have braces. Again. And it’s been super frustrating because I have them again.
So of course, I had to talk about why I got them, for how long. The same ole story.
Speaking my frustration to my workout buddy, I explained what had just happened.
“Why does everyone have to point out that I have braces? It’s so obvious! That’s like telling me I have brown eyes!” (Contrary to popular belief, my eyes are brown and not black.)
Since this obvious talk about my braces has happened with so many people, it got me to thinking about the not-so-obvious things I may or may not talk about in my life.
For the last month or so, I’ve also come to the realization of how difficult of a communicator I can be at times. Which then has me thinking, ”Are the things I think as obvious, not so obvious to those around me?” It’s like walking into a glass door. You would think that obviously it shouldn’t be a problem that people actually walk into glass doors, but they do. They just don’t see it.
Are the things that are so obvious to me about what I hold dear, what’s important to me, what I believe, can people actually see or understand those things? Do I talk about them enough?
In a few days, my family is going to travel to Chattanooga to celebrate Thanksgiving. I’m excited to spend some needed time with my family. Have some needed time off of work. And watch a lot of football. Oh, and can’t forget to eat. Lots of eating.
So here are the things I’m obvious and maybe not-so-obviously thankful about:
1. My family. I love my family. We’re weird. We watch TV together as bonding time. We pretty much live in different states. Three of us travel all the time. And when we’re together, we’re a family. My brother and I make fun of each other a lot. My family doesn’t really hug, and when we do it’s rather awkward, but that’s my family. We’re going through a lot right now, but all in all God has blessed us. There’s only 4 of us and we’ve never lived close to our extended family, so we easily get annoyed with each other the longer we’re together, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
2. My job. I love my job. But seriously, I really do. I never thought what I do for a living could actually be a reality. I travel to many different high schools, talking to them about Southern Adventist University. I’ve always wanted to work with high school students and through some random puzzle pieces put together (at least what I thought was random), I’m an enrollment counselor. I am thankful for how well I get along with my coworkers. I feel so valued and so apart of what goes on in connecting with students. My opinion matters. And I can healthily talk about the Patriots season!
3. My friends. I love my friends. Though, they’ve changed over the years, I’ve had the type of friends I needed for different circumstances at different times. I love the variety of people I have in my life. I love the insight and challenges they bring to my life in becoming a better person.
4. My cat. I love my cat, Jefferson. He’s weird. He sits on his hind legs and just watches things. He kills all the bugs in my new house. He fights with cords. He’s smart. He opens my bedroom door all the time. He’s feisty and fierce. Sometimes I think he thinks he’s a tiger or a lion. And he’s cute. He doesn’t like when I’m on my iPad or phone and not giving him the attention he wants. He’s teaching me to be more present in what others needs. He’s crazy and I laugh at him a lot.
5. Last and most importantly, I love God. He’s teaching me so many things, like patience, trust, commitment, love. He’s always there for me. He’s opening doors in hallways I was afraid to walk down or didn’t even know existed. He wakes me up every morning. He has protected me through some unfortunate and scary situations. He has provided a new place, a job, friends, a community, a church family. You name it, He’s been behind it. He is watching over me.
So what “obvious” things may not be so obvious in your life? Take some time. Think about it.
Lauren Brooks 