Lo, are those people?

Aside from some small, brief moments of panic that I experienced the first week, school this semester has been going extraordinarily well. Hallelujah. I haven't felt overwhelmed, I haven't felt like I'm on the edge of a nervous breakdown, I actually feel like the majority of the work I've been doing is greatly enriching my life, rather than draining it out of me. I can't express how grateful I am.

To ensure this, I've had tunnel vision for the most part. I know the pain and stress that procrastination can bring and I don't want it. My goal has been to get my work done in a timely manner, and then hope to do extra so that when I feel like I need a break, I might plausibly be able to take one and it not throw me into a tailspin.

However, this has meant that I've done little else. That hasn't bothered me too much. As I said earlier, my work this semester has been much more rewarding. But then I ventured to look up, and what did see? Oh, hey...people. I remember them.

I miss them. I've only been in school for two weeks, but I miss them. I miss conversation. I miss just taking time to be in people's presence. I'm grateful that my immediate family is close by, but I've even been separated from them. And as much distance as there is between them and me, my friends feel even further away.

Thankfully, though, I have made plans to meet up with a friend on Thursday afternoon. I'm looking forward to talking to her; something I haven't done with her since further ago than I can remember. I am also looking forward to being back at Camp Formosa for a weekend twelve days from now. It's fitting that the theme for the retreat is friendship.

It's times like these that remind me why I determined to be so diligent in my work; if I goof off, doing pointless things, or drag my feet in apathy, then times like these can't be possible. Or if I try to make them fit anyway, I can't enjoy myself because I know I'm neglecting something I'm going to have to fix later. This I will do no more.

It seems tragic to me that I have to so carefully schedule time with people. But the silver lining in this situation is that the time spent is that much more precious. I look forward to meticulously counting my blessings.