You're in My Personal Space

Oh Americans. We really like our personal space. We're also very careful about who we are personal with. I remember being in Costa Rica thinking "If this man gets any closer to me in the ice cream line, we'll be hugging. Back off dude!" I had to remember is was a cultural thing. So I let him be close even though it made me uncomfortable. And I couldn't get away.
I went to the fair this weekend with some girl friends and there were people every where. Really invading the personal space and WALKING SLOW to make it worse. I thought Meredith was going to take someone out.
The personal space isn't what is peculiar to me, I guess because I get that it's cultural and sometimes you just run out of space in general. What gets me sometimes is the being personal with someone. I have a friend, Lauren, she just loves the hell out of people and she'll tell 'em. Every time we get off the phone she'll say "I love you!" and I'll say "I love you too!". Nothin weird about it. She's one of my closest friends and I love her to pieces. If something ever happened to either of us, I'd be really glad that the last thing she heard me say was I love you. Same with my family- we ALWAYS say I love you. Always. Just how it goes. Matt and I are the same.

Here's the funny part. I have some friends that if I know I'm not going to see them for a while, when I go to leave I'll say "Take care. I'll call ya soon. I love you!". And nothin. Like they didn't hear me at all. I have one friend who I am starting to do it to intentionally because now that I've done it a few times I KNOW SHE HEARD ME! It doesn't make me mad because I know that that stuff just makes some people uncomfortable. Is it a case of selective hearing? I think not. Sometimes I'll even take of the "I" and make it a "Love ya guys!" and they immediately look at the floor and wave. Aren't people silly?

So in conclusion, you don't have to say it back, but just know that I notice! And I love you just the same.

Posted in: Reflections