Today’s Quote 12/20/06

He who knows his sins is much greater than he who makes someone rise from the dead.  He who can really cry one hour about himself is greater than he who teaches the whole world; he who knows his own weaknesses is greater than he who sees the angels. 

Issac of Nineveh

They won’t stop talking

It took a while but Sharon finally learned the lesson. And I quote, “You never really stop talking, do you?” She is the quieter sort. I fill the gaps. I guess I needed someone who would be quiet enough for me to talk even more. (Yeh, I know I need to take a course in communication – or in my case, less communication).

Now I have boys (actually now men, ages 25 and 22), and they won’t stop talking. Feels good. They are home for Christmas (two weeks-yippee). I am fighting to get words in. Those who know me might find that hard to believe. I think Sharon’s eyes glaze over at all the over-communication going on at the table. Laughter, jokes, sports, computers, gaming, books, food – the subjects come and go in a veritable burst of machine gun fire.

Remote, silent males bother me. They might look strong on the outside. I know better. I have been involved with people too long to not know what goes on in the silence. A parable of sorts to me is Bill Belichek. You can hardly get him to say anything at a press conference. And then splashed all over the front page of the Boston Herald is his alleged “communication” with another man’s wife. Strong silent types seldom are. The need to know and be known is part of what it means to be human. We can either do that in a healthy way or an unhealthy way.

So there are a lot of words flying about the Bryant house this Christmas. I might have to go in the other room every once in a while to catch my breath so I can get the energy to keep up with Jon and Ben. If I can keep them talking (as if I have to try!!), then when stuff hits the fan as life comes at them, they’ll let me know. They’ll let someone know. And the odds of making it go up. And that’s a good thing.

Think Fruitcake!!!!

This Christmas I am coming clean.  Enough hiding over the years.  I have kept silent long enough while people made jokes and laughed about the very thing I had kept secret.  Yes, it is true