one lump or two?

When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving advice, you have not done what I asked.

When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problems, strange as it may seem, you have failed me.

Listen! All I asked was that you listen. Not talk or do, but listen.

Advice is cheap, 50cents will get you both Dear Abbey and Billy Graham in the same newspaper.

I can do for myself- I'm not helpless. Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.

When you do something for me that I need to do for myself, you contribute to my fear and weakness.

But when you accept that I feel what I feel no matter how irrational, then I can stop trying to convince you and I can get about the business of understanding what's behind this irrational feeling.

Perhaps that's why prayer works for some people because God is mute and allows people to work out their own problems. Yet He does listen and His shoulder is always available.

So, please dear friend, please listen to me. And if you want to talk, wait a moment for me to finish, and then I'll listen to you.

>Anonymous<

I went to the Catholic Pastorial Centre yesterday to get some pamphlets on some youth programs that are available through the church. (in general) I thought this would be an easy task. not big deal.

Apparently that was not the case.

I have not been there for several months (marrage Prep. in oct/nov. 2003) and at that time I went in the conference meeting doors. Before that I went to the back door straight to the library but that door is now for staff only. At the front door you need to be buzzed in, then go to the receptionist. I tryed to tell her why I was there. She said I needed an appointment and to come back then. I asked if I could go to their library since that is where all the pamphlets used to be. She said no, it is not open to the public. (funny it was a couple of months ago) And I was not to come here without an appointment. I needed to make an an appointment with the youth director to participate in youth programs. First off, I want pamphlets not a meeting and second I don't want to be IN the youth programs, I want to know what is offered. She would have understood this if she hadn't cut me off everytime I tryed to say something. She acted all pissed off that I asked for the number for the youth director seeing as that is the only way I'm going to get any info from them. It is really hard to be nice to stupid people.

Before I left I saw some pamphlets on the table near her desk. guess what! they were for two different youth camps. Like it would have been really that hard to point to the table. Mean people suck!!!

What bugs me the most is that it is the Pastorial Centre. It's full of religious people. Before it was run by nuns; I'm not sure if it still is but I hope she's not a nun. I was having a fairly good day before my little visit. She made me so upset. No wonder Catholics have gotten such a bad rep. I was going to go to mass yesterday since it was Ash Wednesday but I had enough of pious catholics for one day. What ever happened to treat others as you want to be treated and love your neighbor and all that niceness stuff.

Man, looking back at what I wrote, I'm not very nice either. I'm a bad catholic. Shame shame

Oh, but I did give up coffee for lent. My bf thinks that's a bad idea. I'm already not a morning person. But it would not be a sacrafice if I didn't like it. Besides coffee is not good for me anyways. My bf is giving up beer which will be hard for him since his boss buys it for him but his boss is also catholic so he will understand and not harrass him about it. It will be good for him and Easter is not that far away.