June 21, 2002 cont’d

continued from previous entry

I should clarify this… Peter is Peter K, who was last year’s CCYM president and who will be a sophomore in college. He and Philip are brothers… Philip will be a high school senior this year and will be CCYM president. At any rate, Peter’s the one who got his tongue pierced… back it up. Clarifying more. Tuesday night Tim B, Peter K, Jeanette B, Gretchen, and I all drove into Sandusky to go to a tattoo parlor. Tim wanted a tattoo, Jeanette wanted another piercing (this time her nose), and Peter wanted to get his tongue pierced. Gretchen and I went along just for the heck of it, and I am so thankful that we did. Of course, it was one of those things that I was a little wary of, especially since I know that I would have never been allowed if my mother had had any say in the matter. At any rate, I couldn’t watch Peter get his piercing, but I watched Tim get his Christian tattoo and Jeanette get her nose pierced. It was one of those nice bonding times, because people tend to be more open and vulnerable when they’re about to get a needle stuck into them. Peter was the only one that went through an extraordinary amount of pain. After it was over, he couldn’t talk (it hurt too much) and his tongue starting to swell. It was cool though, because at devotions that night, I was actually someone to people. I could talk to three alumni of CCYM, and I had seen them getting their various things done, most of them against their parents’ wills. It connects you in a way. You don’t forget who saw you get your first tattoo type of deal, you know?

Anyway, the next day Peter had already taken the tongue ring out. He had done some praying about it, and it just was not a good situation, so he’d stayed up until four thinking and finally taking it out. That entire experience made Peter really human to me. He was brave enough (although stupid enough too) to go through with the piercing, yet man enough to take it out, admit defeat, suffer the pain, and not be seen as a wimp. But that’s not all there is to Peter K, I’ve found. I knew from his role as CCYM president at last year’s YAC that he has tremendous faith, but I was able to see it firsthand. Actually, both K’s are inspirations to me. Their prayers, their acts, the way they allowed me into their weeks were in the spirit of true Christians. Both were blessings to Maggie and comforted her. And in personality, Peter was able to joke around, tease, or strum a guitar and sing at the top of his lungs without possessing a clue about the guitar. I suppose Tim B can share in that last quality as well – the two were quite a think to listen to. I hugged most, if not all, of the aforementioned people in the past entries. Peter’s was the one hug that I felt was more than just a surface hug. Ok, well, Philip’s was a true hug as well, but I didn’t feel it was as personal? I can relate to Peter somehow… he’s in college… he struggled this year with keeping his commitment to God… he’s made mistakes. Philip, on the one hand, accepted me and tried to include me the moment I was introduced. (even more so when he remembered me from three years ago going to see Austin Powers II) Peter didn’t so much talk to me until the Tuesday night escapades in Sandusky. After that, however, he befriended me perhaps more than any other. It was as if Philip was nice at first because he was supposed to be, and he continued to be nice beyond his obligation. Peter, however, didn’t feel an obligation, but rather treated me as a new friend, goofed around with me, sprayed me with water, bopped me on the head with papers, tried to shove me into the kitchen. It’s a different comfort level, I guess. No matter what, though, I am so blessed that I got to meet those brothers. I will never forget them.

Back to the reason for this entry… today is transition day. It’s the day where I get reacquainted with having an actual family, having parents, having to drive places rather than walk, having tv, and having an extreme lack of peers other than my sister. Today is transition day, between a Lakeside full of friends and Christians and the day (tomorrow) when I go to Columbus to be with family and see a wedding. Today is transition day, where Meg calls me because she’s not on ASP after all, and I learn how to talk on a phone again. Today is transition day, where I don’t want to be home at all. I don’t want to talk on the phone with friends at all. Where I don’t want to watch TV, and I don’t want to drive a car. This is transition day because I have to force myself to be here, because I can’t be in Lakeside anymore. And all I really want is to be there.