I know how you feel, honey!

We have a running joke in among staff and residents at The Way Home. If someone makes a statement that is confusing or non-sensible, we chastise her ramblings with a sarcastic "Such as...the Iraq...and children maps so......" quoting Miss South Carolina in the 2007 Miss Teen USA Pageant. Bless her heart.

But we've all been there, haven't we? It's like the time when Mr. Jolley called on me during math class way back in the fifth grade, "What is 6 X 6?" he asked. I froze. Just looked at him with my mouth open. He just went on to the next person. I knew that! Good grief, what's wrong with me?

Or it's like the time when my good friend Gequetta had a bad car crash in highschool. She was injured severely, but with time and physical therapy, she recovered. Eventually she was at a basketball game, still on crutches, when she ran into a certain fellow who happened to be her secret crush. She ran into him in line at the concession stand, and he initiated a conversation with her...perhaps he started with a casual "Close game, huh?" or a friendly "Hey Gequetta!" Quetta looked at him and like a simpleton said "I had a wreck." Super-Crush looked sympathetically confused and walked away. Quetta stood and watched him go, repeating I had a wreck??? What the- in her mind, over and over and over again. Where did that come from?

I had one of those moments today. A production company came to The Way Home today to begin videoing interviews for a promotional video for our ministry. I watched our calm and articulate social worker answer questions for her interview. Her answers were just beautiful. I literally teared up just listening to her speak about the girls here and all the reasons she works for The Way Home.

Then it was my turn. I sat in front of a camera facing the interviewer. Bright lights in front of me, bright lights over my head. Okay, I can do this, I thought secretly to myself with a Bridgette Jones sort of confidence. Big mistake. Huge.

I don't know what happened to my brain. I could not comprehend the interviewer's questions. I could not speak in complete sentences. I honestly don't think I could tell him my name if he asked me. Did I really go to college?...you could not prove it by my vocabulary or grammar during my interview. Ugh.

Thinking back on the situation, I can think of plenty of true and intelligent answers to his questions. Ugh again. Too late now! I hate when I do that!

So, let's all give a break to our Miss South Carolina sweetheart. I'm giving her a pass, bless her heart. I know how you feel, honey. It'll be alright!