tradeshow blues

it is in short an overwhelming experience. even over the course of three days, you are hard pressed to really "see" everything. notables from this show: tempeh in lemon pepper sauce from tofu town, gluten-free brownies from the craving place- rockin!, pacifica candles' new aroma "pumpkin," green label t-shirts and so much more.

there is a funny dynamic to tradeshows where you can feel like all your senses are inundated but then completely alone. one of my colleagues took a really long break this afternoon, which was fine by me, since she had told me who to be on the lookout for and then to call her. we were in a lull and she hadn't really left the booth at all yesterday, so i looked past the indiscretion of time she had been gone. but my other colleague seemed really miffed by it. i asked if he was angry and he sullenly started berating her for being gone. when she showed up he didn't say anything to her, but soon after stalked off, barely letting me know he was leaving for the day. i carried this all inside of me- knowing that they don't like each other and yet that we are on the same team. my homeless friends have taught me over the years the art of letting other people's choices be theirs. it was not my choice for him to get annoyed with her. it was not my choice to stalk out at the end of the day being barely cordial to either of us. and yet there it is all internal within me. also recognizing that i'm eating dinner by myself since he would have been my dining companion since she has plans. and tonight, i don't feel like dining alone.

i read on the bus coming back these words: "Above all keep your love for one another at full strength, since love covers over a multitude of sins." so i am wondering what their loving each other would look like. it's a choice they can make... still. i was thinking today that sometimes anger or grudges consume such tremendous energy to maintain. and sometimes love is looking the other direction and forgiving an indiscretion. sometimes it's calling the angry man and inviting him out for afghan food. regardless, i am called to love these people while it is still called today. that is a choice i can make.