It's Almost Turkey Day... A Break!

I've been trying to put up a pic that sorta goes with the text, but today I couldn't think of anything that would go with what I've been thinking about so I just put a pic of me. Enjoy... at least don't puke (if you can help it)... :)

Well, it's the day before Thanksgiving and I've been mulling over what it is that I'm particularly thankful for. There are a number of things but probably the most recurring one is that I get to go home for a few extra days! This school thing is taking a lot longer to get comfortable with than I expected. I mean, school is fine (although I'm ready to be done with homework) but the days are long and boring due to a lack of friends. I'm not good at making friends. One reason is that I'm terribly afraid of attempting to be friends with the wrong people because I know how easily I'm swayed by the opinions of others when I care about what they think. Another is that part of being friends is having common ground and I haven't found anyone that I feel I have much common ground with. I dress different, I don't live on the campus, I don't do any extra-curricular activities at the school and I don't eat at the cafeteria. I end up feeling very separate and alone. There are plenty of people with which I can share mutual recognition and meaningless pleasantries, but I can't call any of them friends. Anyway, all that amounts to me very much looking forward to going home for a four day weekend! For which I am infinitely thankful.
On a slightly different note, I've been slightly irritated because my least favorite class has been discussing something all week that I really need help with. Anthropology (the study of humanity) is usually a frivolous and secularized pile of crap. This week, however, we have been discussing the social constructs of race and class. Like most of the topics that this book covers, it assumes that there is little we can do about the problem and simply approaches the subject by stating that there is a problem and documenting its specifics. (I think this is mainly why I have hated the class). Anyway, we have been discussing how ingrained race and class segmentation is in our culture. And I like to think of myself as free of prejudices in this area. However, the discussion has been showing me just how bound by prejudice I am. Prejudice is a weird thing, it is usually based on observable facts, which are true but are caused by avoidable circumstances. Hence when I hold a view or expectation about a particular race or class, it is likely based on true observations. However, the problem with it is that it ignores the causes of the behavior. Anyway, at the same time that we have been learning these things in Anthropology, I have heard two openings on humility to love everyone as yourself as Jesus did. I felt so convicted. Because I realize that I may not be violent toward certain groups I definitely feel that I am better than them (and conversely, that there are groups that are better than me). I think the reason that Jesus was able to love everyone (and always knew just how to express that love) was because he could look past the history and circumstances and see the causes and uncontrollable factors that lead up to them. Anyway, I am hoping that I can get better at doing this in the future.
I guess that sort of ties together (I didn't even plan that). But today's ramblings: no friends and don't hold prejudices probably could work together to cancel each other out. I guess the one aspect that I don't know how to weigh in to the equation yet is the part about being in the world but not of it. As usual, this aspect seems contradictory with not having any prejudices.
Well, I'm ready for a break and when we get back from Turkey Day, it will be a fast-paced last hurrah for the semester. So, till later. Enjoy turkey and be thankful, but also consider your actions and opinions toward others. Hmmm... sounds like I'm preaching... I guess I'm the minister and the congregation. Whatever, this was a good way to organize my thoughts. Bye for now.