sappy and batty

Although I’m not doing a count-down, I am in an I-want-to-savor-this-moment state. And savoring is (mostly) what I’ve been up to lately. When on my bike, I’m trying my hardest to take mental snapshots of the scene of hundreds and hundreds of high schoolers pouring out into the streets, of the older gents squatting on their hams playing chess, of the well-dressed woman carrying a briefcase in one hand and 2 dead chickens in the other. When I’m with my English students and they start giggling over a “mispronunciation,” I look at this group of 17 peeps with a sappy grin on my face and try to snap mental shots of each one. When I’m having a fun talk with English clubbies about living adventurously and with courage, I do something America-shocking but Kosovo-acceptable and reach out and grab the hands of the peeps on either side of me and give ‘em a squeeze. (weirdo). When I’m having coffee at a friend’s workplace and the topic flows to spiritual things, I’m trying to memorize the dialogue “to not forget this beautiful moment.” When I’m sleeping over at some friends’ house for the umpteenth time, shucks, I have trouble completing sentences because, “Jeepers, I really like you folk” is what’s in my mind. Yes – I’m getting sappy…and I’ll probably just continue to roll down the sappy tree in the following months.

I’m also going batty. I’ve left the keys in my front door several times. I’ve left the house in my slippers twice (one time not realizing it until a kid started giggling). I was biking yesterday – and totally forgot where I was going. I cooked dinner a few days ago – and somehow forgot to eat it (I don’t know if that’s EVER happened before). And I’m misplacing things (especially my phone). A lot.

Sappy and batty. ...and, really, it's probably just the beginning (yikes).