Happy Birthday Mike. I think it's been 11 years we've known each other. No offense, it's also one of my least favorite days of the year. [It's someone else's birthday, isn't it?--ed.] Yes. And she's the big gaping hole in me right now. For no good reason. [What is it with you and professor's daughters, anyway?--ed.] I have no idea. I can't even say I know her that well. We seem to run into each other every few years. She's still single, for no good reason. [Besides the Lord's will, you pagan.--ed.] Yeah, that. [Why don't you call her, and wish her a happy birthday?--ed.] Because it would seem really weird and stalkerish, like all the other things I've done. Because I'm a bum who's about to torpedo his only viable career path in what may be a fruitless search for Truth. Because I'm not good enough for her. Because I'm not the kind of man who can credibly pretend it just a "friendly birthday call." Because I'm in love with a ghost, probably, not her. Because I'm scared. Someone punch me in the face. Ah, I have a solution.
I once had a friend, a dear friend, who helped me with personal care needs in college. Reformed Presbyterian to the core. When I was a Reformed Presbyterian, I visited their church many times. We were close. I still consider his siblings my friends. (And siblings in the Lord.) Nevertheless, when I began to consider the claims of the Catholic Church to be the Church Christ founded, he took me out to breakfast. He implied--but never quite stated--that we would not be brothers, if I sought full communion with the Catholic Church. That came true; a couple years later, I called him on his birthday, as I'd done every year for close to ten of them. He didn't recognize my number, and it was the most strained, awkward phone call I have ever had. We haven't spoken since. We were close enough that I attended the rehearsal dinner for his wedding. His wife's uncle is a Catholic priest. I remember reading a blog post of theirs, that early in their relationship, she told him of the p
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Don't torpedo yet. We need to have lunch and solve your "river crossing problems." See, you make me feel good. I'm a TR in comparison to you. *cough*