What's That You Say?

Attentive:  Paying attention; noticing, watching, listening, or attending closely. 

was mulling over the whole dad situation and the whole sister situation a couple of days ago, thinking of calling one of my two sponsors while nourishing the sneaking suspicion that I probably wasn't going to call either of them - sometimes I just can't hork up the enthusiasm to do what would be good for me to do - when I saw an incoming call from Willie.  Perfect timing. As I had something going on he listened politely and attentively, as I like to think I do for him when the occasion arises, although "attentively" is a relative word for people like us who have poorly developed attention abilities.

I droned on about my family for a few minutes - vaguely discontented but not out-of-my-mind crazy.  When I was finished Willie started saying things like "family is hard" and "pray about it" and "I'm sure you'll do the right thing."  You know, the crap I'm always telling him.  It sounds better coming out of my mouth, directed at someone else, than it does landing with a clang in my own ears.

I interrupted him.  "This is what you've got?  I tell you all this and your response is 'It'll all work out?' "  We both laughed.  There is no doubt that most of the relief is in the telling of the tale, not in the solutions provided.  I don't know what's best for someone else and Willie doesn't know what's best for me.  We listen to each other, support each other, provide some general advice, some generic bromides, and then let the other guy loose to do what he thinks is best.  I honestly wasn't looking for an answer - I was looking for some perspective on the situation.  I do want feedback when I'm going postal over something but, gratefully, that doesn't happen all that much any more.  The calls function as more of a grounding process, a fact-finding mission, than a manual providing an answer.