Being

We picked up Susan because Stephanie had the car and we all drove off to Starbucks in Barrie for a cuppa tea. Settling in at our table Susan and I were off chatting about work stuff and Joe, his voice a little harder than it usually is looked back and forth between us and said, "So, Susan, what are you doing for Christmas this year?" The conversation then steered away from work and on to life as it exists in the everyday world.

Throughout the whole chat Joe seemed to be carefully shepherding the conversation to anything but disability, therapy, workmates. He clearly didn't want to talk about anything but Christmas, presents and food. All subjects that I happen to love too. It was a nice time. Oddly, though, I found myself really relaxing and really enjoying chatting with Susan about everything but ...

When mission comes with work, when purpose comes with rising, when need exceeds time ... it sometimes feels wrong to just sit back and laugh, to talk nonsense, to gossip about family and friends. At one point Susan told a story and just smiled. It was nice to see my friend Susan again, not the woman I work with, worry with and write with - just Susan. I like her and it was nice to remember why we were friends in the first place.

Sometimes, like today, I realize that I forget that I am something more than what I do. That I have interests that have nothing to do with disability, with identity politics, with the world of work.

Sometimes, like today, I realize that I have crowded my personality into a corner and let my purpose take center stage. That I have gone too long without a really good laugh.

Sometimes, like today, I realize that there are simple pleasures - simple things to be contemplated. That making friutcake like we plan to do today is just as important as anything on a yellow sticky or on a 'to do' list.

Joe, in his manner, made sure that for the time we had tea that we were all just old friends being together.

It was nice.

It was to be the start of something big.

Christmas.