2011-09-22-9:52 a.m.

I answer the door this morning and ohmygosh it's those people, the ones who knock on random doors and pass out little pamphlets and read you scripture.

All I could think of at first was that I didn't want to stand there listening, but I didn't want to be rude, either, so I was stuck holding my storm door open so this woman could explain to me about the signs of the end times. I usually tell these people what I believe and then maybe argue with them a little. Sometimes I just tell them I'm already a believer and hurry them off. Today I didn't have the energy to do any of those. I ended up listening.

The whole time I was thinking about what they must think about my crazy red hair and puffy eyes with the remains of yesterday's mascara smudged here and there. I was mesmerized by the woman's long dangly gold necklace that moved while she talked. I thought about how she must have gotten up early and put her makeup on perfectly and planned a day of walking around neighborhoods in her good shoes talking to people like me with crazy red hair, still wearing the teeshirt they slept in.

And I just listened.

I knew she wasn't going to tell me anything that would change my mind about how I'm going to live my life or raise my children or worship my father. I knew I would never read the little pamphlet she was getting ready to give me. But I listened anyway. I realized that I wasn't going to be tainted. I wasn't going to lose "God points" by letting these people stand on my porch and talk to me. Maybe I made their morning better somehow. I hope so.

When they had gone I thought to myself, I wish the grass had been mowed. And I went inside and talked to Mindy.

previous-next