One Sided Conversation

You ever have one of those days that you work really hard. Prepare a special dinner for company, they get here and one of them talks non stop about how wonderful they are ? How amazing they are and they never ever let anyone say a word ?
Well that was my evening. I fought off feeling frustrated and found my mind wandering all over the place. Thinking about how it was more fun cleaning my toilets today than listening to this persons monolog of self appreciation. Thoughts of what made him be this way and where he had come from gave me some pity and understanding but still it was a bit annoying.
My mind ran to and fro reliving the day. Thinking about how good it felt being in the heat today mowing and how nice the grass looks right now. How good it was to sip freshly brewed green tea, sweetened with honey and poured into a big glass of ice. How cute the kittens are now and how Fergus is so big. How many presser feet are available for my new sewing machine and what good things I will be able to make. I thought about so many things, but nothing that this person said about himself !
I thought about how Texas Ranch House was on and I was missing it.
My husbands eyes were closing in that "fall asleep in church" style. Head bobs, eyes close and then they startle awake.
No need to worry about not listening to this company because there was never any chance to say anything back. And he certainly never asked anyone else what was new or asked how anyone else was doing.
I found myself feeling bad for him. What is that saying, " the man who applauds himself has an audience of one".
When this couple left my husband and I looked at each other and shook our heads. Sorta dumb struck, as if we had no idea what really took place. We were here but had no part in the evening ! What an experience.

I remember reading a story once of a Young Buddhist monk who prayed all day long and he boasted about being one of the best monks. He knew so much that he could not find any more teachers who could teach him anything. Someone told him about this old monk who lived on an island by himself, true hermit monk. This old monk it was said, was enlightened and could do amazing things. The young monk with the ego, sought out this old monk. The young monk discovered that the old monk said some of his prayers wrong and didn't do everything perfect like the young monk, so the young monk told him he did things wrong and he was not great at all. The young monk said the old wise monk could not teach him anything. The young monk gathered his things, got in a boat and rowed away. Soon after he left, the old monk came up next to the young monks boat and handed him an item that the young monk had left behind.
The young monk looked at the old one, there the old one stood on the water, no boat. He did indeed know much more than the young monk. He was walking on water !
I thought about this story tonight and it reminded me of our visitor . I wondered if he would ever recognize anyone for the wisdom they may hold. It seems he is just like this young monk.
It was a good lesson for me to always listen more than talk, and to always seek humility.

The photos tonight...
freshly mowed pasture and Melanie asleep in the grass, it would have been a perfect day for that.