Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa.
THAT is not a lie.
However, today I DID lie and it just came out of my mouth so fast that I couldn't stop myself. My inner filter must have been snowed in like the rest of this city.
Portland has had it's share of snow fall and we just aren't prepared. The city doesn't have the budget to sand/shovel all of the streets so I took a walk to our neighborhood grocery store.
While I was there I ran into many neighbors that were escaping from their families as well. (Love ya' Honey! If you read this, you know what I mean ;-> ) While standing in the bread section I saw someone I hadn't seen for months. She had a lot to share and she wanted to share it at a fast pace. Her words were coming at me so fast I felt like I was in The Matrix. Her words were bullets and I was bent over backwards from their force.
A few minutes into her tale a mutual friend came around the corner from the produce aisle and "joined" the conversation. Time went by and children tugged at coat-sleeves. It was time to move on. And this is when it happened. Fast-Talker asked "Do you have e-mail?" and I said 'No.' THIS was a lie. And my choice to answer this way was self preservation. It was mean and wrong, but I felt the need to say it. Our mutual friend, who joined the conversation, looked at me and said "Yes you do!".
SHUSH! No I don't!!! (Inner dialogue, of course)
I looked at my sweet, honest friend and did it again. 'No, I don't. I think the weather did something to our connection'. WHY?!? Why did I make this choice? Mean. Mean Ann.
When we parted I said 'When my e-mail works again I'll give you a call and let you know.' I just couldn't leave with this stupid lie hanging over my head. I believe I'm a victim of Instant Karma, however. Fast-Talker was walking away, then turned to say to me "That's OK. I'll just give you a call".
THAT is not a lie.
However, today I DID lie and it just came out of my mouth so fast that I couldn't stop myself. My inner filter must have been snowed in like the rest of this city.
Portland has had it's share of snow fall and we just aren't prepared. The city doesn't have the budget to sand/shovel all of the streets so I took a walk to our neighborhood grocery store.
While I was there I ran into many neighbors that were escaping from their families as well. (Love ya' Honey! If you read this, you know what I mean ;-> ) While standing in the bread section I saw someone I hadn't seen for months. She had a lot to share and she wanted to share it at a fast pace. Her words were coming at me so fast I felt like I was in The Matrix. Her words were bullets and I was bent over backwards from their force.
A few minutes into her tale a mutual friend came around the corner from the produce aisle and "joined" the conversation. Time went by and children tugged at coat-sleeves. It was time to move on. And this is when it happened. Fast-Talker asked "Do you have e-mail?" and I said 'No.' THIS was a lie. And my choice to answer this way was self preservation. It was mean and wrong, but I felt the need to say it. Our mutual friend, who joined the conversation, looked at me and said "Yes you do!".
SHUSH!
I looked at my sweet, honest friend and did it again. 'No, I don't. I think the weather did something to our connection'. WHY?!? Why did I make this choice? Mean. Mean Ann.
When we parted I said 'When my e-mail works again I'll give you a call and let you know.' I just couldn't leave with this stupid lie hanging over my head. I believe I'm a victim of Instant Karma, however. Fast-Talker was walking away, then turned to say to me "That's OK. I'll just give you a call".