Jeff and I are highly compatible in most areas, except for a few, and one of them is how we engage the world, i.e., where we get our energy. Jeff is an introvert, and I am an extrovert. Jeff gets his energy and heals by reflecting and introspecting. I get my energy and heal from interaction and engaging with others. So?
How we engage the world lately has become rather myopic. We see the cancer, we treat the cancer, we deal with the other heath issues that come up because of the cancer, we try to work work out around the cancer, and our divergent views in the aforementioned areas have helped us both to deal with things and make us stronger.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for the way it’s working with our personalities, and I know it’s a blessing, but it has been making me a little sad lately, thinking of the life we had to leave behind. So, I’ve been praying about it and so God in His Infinite Wisdom, gave me what I asked for – something blessedly, aggravatingly normal.
Jeff and I had a “discussion” the other day about getting another dog. We are both for it, so I immediately set to work researching breeds, looking into different local rescue groups, and spreading the word that the Gillespies are interested in a new girl. Oh, he will only have a female dog, Mr G does like having his harem about him : )
When I came back to him with a list of dogs from PetFinder and suggested making some calls, he looked at me like had hos lost my mind. Jeff told me he needs a few weeks “to reflect” about Chloe. Yes, totally understandable, and respecting of her import in our lives, but it made me nuts! We both miss having a dog in our lives, we both think a dog would be a good thing for us, etc….And then I heard a voice in my head repeat, “just something normal in our lives Lord, please.” I of course had had a different type of something in mind. But I had to laugh out loud at myself, and be grateful as I understood…How blessedly, aggravatingly normal this conversation!
