Written by Katie Swann
Isn’t it time for another break? Only five weeks into the spring semester and I’m done. I mean, it’s the proverbial “baby bear” of weather conditions – not too hot, not too cold, just right – all of the important people in my life are here in one place; this time is crucial. I need to get out of here and do something.
I’ve got a terrible case of spring fever. Unfortunately, this diagnosis is not necessarily a treatable condition and is therefore not valid grounds for the nurse toexcuse me from class. The ironic thing is I’ve never been more unable to focus on classwork. No illness is more distracting.
I really do try to pay attention in class, but day after day I drift into the same daydream of that scene from “The Shawshank Redemption.” You know, the one in which Andy Dufresne emerges from that sewage pipe and just stands in the rain because he’s so relieved that he finally broke out of that prison. Yeah.
The other day, in a desperate attempt to clear my head, I took a quick siesta on the floor in my dorm room. There’s something oddly soothing about lying on cold, dirty tile. I lay there and stared at the ceiling for a good hour or so, thinking about absolutely nothing, just listening to the breeze and distant sounds ofoutdoor activity coming through my window. It gave me the reboot I needed. When I got up I was able to concentrate a little better and get some work done, if only for a short while.
A few days later I was doing that same thing again – hovering over stacks of books and papers, staring at a computer screen and comparing my life to those of iconic tragic characters — when I got a call from a friend.
It had been a little while since we last talked and it wasn’t much more than an exchange of pleasantries,but it was enough of a morale boost to coerce me through one more chapter of “Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, TenthEdition.” Later that night I discovered that another friend of mine shares my passion for Rooney Garland movies and sparkling grape juice.
As insignificant as something seems, it’s amazing to me how one fortuitous instance can propel an individual to the next and the next and the next. Sure, things get hectic again, but that just allows for another chance encounter to be that much more encouraging.
I honestly cannot wait to get my spring break rolling. I’ve gone stir crazy. I need to climb a mountain or go skydiving or ride a bull or something. School takes a backseat to my flagrant, uncouth fantasy life most of the time. The crazier I get, the more a serendipitous moment means to me, and it can really help me get my priorities back in order. It could be a call from a friend or meeting someone new or a solitary walk in God’s nature.
Something always presents itself in a desperate time if you look for it.
