Effervescent. That’s what I was labeled today.
Having been drenched in the fickle Oregon weather then semi-drying out and intermixing with new students & parents, I was quickly heading into my building.
Giving an older man that I knew the obligatory wave of hello before going up the stairs, I had a brain-pause. A stop button on tasks to relationships. It became what I'd later find out as my "margin". Pastor is his name--yet I've known him from brief encounters over the years, mostly when I was an undergrad and he was an employee. I come to find out his daughter will be a freshman at the university--he admitted to skipping some of the parent sessions which is probably why I found him sitting in a couch.
I was standing--thinking this would be a short encounter as I thought of my work to-do list--yet eventually sat beside him soaking up his wisdom with a glint of tears in my eyes. Pastor and I have never had such a deep and meaningful conversation, one that shepherded me into a time of selah--a pause--in the middle of my work day. It was as if he knew what I needed to hear before I fully knew. That's the power of God. All-knowing and using His people to edify others.
He mentioned seeing me around town--at a coffee shop, on campus, or with our mutual family friends--and called me effervescent. The word flooded my soul with much needed water. Pastor didn't know about the harsh comments put upon me or a recent evaluation of my lack of. The pressure that comes with relationships. The spotlight that I bear. The negative labels. Yet, he knew.
Pastor inquired into my job which led into my confession of a challenging last year with my job being interim to unknown to permanent. The most difficult part throughout the last two years though is find a balance, especially as a single person, taking time for my health & hobbies outside of the professional world.
With his soothing calm way about him he reaches into his backpack and shares, "Do you see this journal that I write in? I write to the edges." Then he pulls out a university flyer to explain, "But this, this has a margin. We need to live our lives with margin."
Wow. My reminder for the day is to walk slower. Walk my life in a way that I have margin to give. Receive. Bless.
