The Tag On

"... & Colleen"

My name has been added onto the end of a note &/or gift twice, within a five day span.

I tagged along with a friend on a feel-good mission. It was her idea. She amassed a gift bag, a gift basket and thoughtful words in the enclosed cards. She asked if I would mind going along with her to drop them off and stop by to visit the lucky recipients. Of course I said 'yes' ... and because of that one-word answer, she added my name onto the gifts that were her idea, her generosity and her words. My part of that gift? I drove.

Another friend came up with the perfect gift idea for the above mentioned friend. I complimented her on her perfect and most thoughtful choice. She asked me if I would like to pitch in towards the cost. Of course I said 'yes' ... and because of that one-word response, she added my name onto the gift tag (that was her idea and personally chosen by her as well). My part? A little bit of cash.

I have been out for supper with the above mentioned friends twice in this same five-day period.

Friend number one has had to make more decisions than any daughter ever hopes to make for their parents. She had one small request for me. "You can choose the restaurant ..." She was tired of thinking. Of making decisions.

I didn't really know where we were headed when we left. But I thought we'd stumble across the perfect spot in our travels. Well, our travels took us by a McDonald's, (what felt like) a bazillion take-out spots (my friend's only request was that we sit down and have someone take our order and serve us) and back by the same McDonald's. Only to decide to go to the restaurant that she suggested in the first place (when I thought I was about to take a wrong turn).

Five days later, we were taking this same friend out for her Birthday Supper. Once again. She just asked one small favor. "You guys choose ..."

Well? Friend #2 had a most excellent suggestion. But it is a restaurant that has a reputation of being 'loud' which makes it hard to visit. So I suggested an alternate. It was Friend #1 that suggested the restaurant that we finally ended up going to (after she heard that the prices at the restaurant that I suggested had gone through the roof after their latest renovations).

Once again, my friend who simply asked for nothing more than 'not having to make a choice' helped us to decide on the perfect dining spot. Once again ... all I did was tag along.

Where has my ability to act on my own thoughts gone?

I admit that my role of last-minute calls to work; not knowing what the next day will bring; working at new schools and with new people five days out of seven is taking its toll (as I wrote that sentence, the phone rang and announced the fate of my day ... I get to go to one of my favorite schools this afternoon!).

I know that I have nothing to complain about. That which drains my energy these days, is something that I have some control over. I could search for and find another job which would provide me with stability of income and knowing what the next day could bring. This is a pretty minor inconvenience in the whole scheme of things. I know that.

In the mean time I just hope that people don't mind if I tag along for the ride for a while. My energy is still here. I am drawing on it for other purposes at the moment.

I will be back. I am still here. I'm just "... & Colleen" on the days when someone graciously takes over the thinking part of a decision for me.