Saturday, March 04, 2006

musing

there was a time in my life when i could not handle disruption. when my mother unexpectedly opened my door while i was reading i snapped, when a study session was marred by the funky riffs of the dorm sideman i screamed and when friends lingered in my living room too late into the night i simply asked them to leave. i thought that i had to fight for a well-ordered life and i vehemently confonted anyone who violated my space.

but this morning, as i sit here sick in bed, i am hemmed in by the sound of alex's alarm as it dutifully completes it's ten-thousandth cycle, the muffled voice of dave kazan as he accompanies james' work in the basement and the anticipation of jackaway and jonikay's arrival later in the day.

i once thought that i had to carve out my space and vigorously protect it against all trespassers. now, i am beginning to realize that it is only within the context of these friendships and the boundaries of this community that i have found a space worth inhabiting. in this communal space i feel contained, safe and loved. i'm incredibly thankful for that.

9 comments:

cade said...

who is this dave kazan? i feel so cheated.

g13 said...

i dunno, but i think he's the object of becky-bear's affection.

james said...

For the record, it's Bazan not KA-zan.

james said...

Or maybe it's Chazown!

g13 said...

for the record, when i was disrupted by a poorly placed dust-pan this afternoon, i kicked the wall in our hallway like a petulant child. so i've got a ways to go with irritation and space violation.

talk about your clay feet...

ahbahsean said...

G, I've been living on my own alone since Feb 2000...

On one hand, I gotta admit, I love that no one screams at me to "turn it down!" when I blare my music, but I'd still enjoy having friends in arms length to say 'this is all the stuff that happened today' without needing to pick up a phone or drive 15+ minutes to do so.

Before Girl said...

I still feel the need to vigorously defend my space. Hence why I will occasionally, on the bad days, wear earplugs (protective up to 30 decibels) at work in my cubicle. I carry them with me wherever I go most of the time. I've kicked the cubicle wall that separates me and the girl in the cube next to mine. I have muttered "SHUT UP" in a stage whisper and told people to break it up. I like to go to places in the "off" hours (eating early, going to places right when they open, etc.)

I still see no need to not defend my space and still have great loving friendships. The best friends I have know my need for space and closeness.

W. Wilson said...

hey, remember that time when you and I came back on some Friday night adventure up in Bloomington, only to find Marshall laying in your bed watching t.v. with a bag of cheetos on his stomach? your vocal expression of that disruption still makes me laugh...

g13 said...

oh yeah. if memory serves, i said "marshall, please remove yourself from our room."