"AN EYE PIC"

I have been back at school for a week, after a great Christmas-New Year's break. I got spoiled being at home, with family all home, "reporting in to Mom's Holiday summons". . .lol I have a married brother and a married sister, 12 and 10 years older than I. Each has two children so 'Unca Justi' has one darling niece and three lively nephews. There was lots of coming and going, loads of friends and assorted collected 'side-family' who are interesting colorful people.

I didn't have to compete with fishing trips during those weeks and I could always drop by the Portugese Bakery for an extra snatch of time with Peter. We got to spend a lot of time together, just hanging out, going to walk along the paths near the beach, or going in late afternoon to Herring Cove to sit on a sheltered rock and watch the sun go down, time to be silent together, time to share thoughts, dreams, hopes and desires. . .time to love and be loved.

I think I wrote about dinner at DaSilva's . . on New Year's night. . .the whole family was there. Fun people! At dinner I sat next tp Grandfather Dominico, in his 80s, who smiles and takes everything in, missing nothing. At one point Papa Dom leaned and said to me "Justino, it's not important who you love. . it is important THAT you love. . . that's what important. . ." as he grinned at Peter and me. Nice gent. I like him.

Back on Campus life springs right back on schedule with classes and meetings, projects and seminars, papers to write and finish. . .lol. . .busy life. Yesterday I went on campus to the library and and ,wallking to the library, I took deliberate time to look and listen, observe what as going on around me. . . kids hurrying, a couple in serious discussion, close to fighting, and this one kid just lollygaggling along, slowly, looking for all the world like a lost soul. As we got closer I realized he was one of the first year students in my intro psych class.

I spoke to him, couldn't remember his first name. I guess I startled him out his 'lost revery' because he looked surprised but then he turned direction and walked along with me, just to talk, and talk we did. . . what began a bit awkwardly turned into a very easy sharing about lots of things. . . especially about him. It began with "Remember what you said last week in class. . . .?" Of course I didn't: I say LOTS of things in class. ;-)

That was the opener and I didn't get any work done, I just spent quality time with another guy, listening mostly. I didn't get to the library; we went to the coffee shop and spent the rest of the afternoon there. . . I call it a very profitable Saturday afternoon talking about "matters of consequence".

I like doing stuff like that.

ciao ~'justin'