Hello In There

Every time I listen to Joan Baez/Kris Kristofferson sing this duet, I get a little weepy. Partly because I empathize with the elderly and partly out of sadness because I know I don't often take the initiative to socialize. I'm an INFJ so it's always been "against the grain" to strike up conversations with strangers. Sometimes when I find myself making excuses I remember Lizzy and Darcy's exchange,

"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,'' said Darcy, "of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.''

"My fingers,'' said Elizabeth, "do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women's do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault -- because I would not take the trouble of practising. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior execution.''

(If you've taken the Myers-Brigg test I'm curious to know your type, so I can learn more about you...)

Hello In There

We had an apartment in the city,
Me and Loretta liked living there.
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown,
A life of their own left us alone.
John and Linda live in Omaha,
And Joe is somewhere on the road.
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more,
She sits and stares through the back door screen.
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
We worked together at the factory.
But what could I say if he asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do."

Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."

Do you ever feel as if there are some forms of service to others that you were "designed" for and other services that don't seem to fit right? For instance, I've never felt comfortable going to nursing homes, but I really enjoy teaching NFP. I was part of an RCIA team for a while and it never seemed to "click," but I love to cook meals for people who need them. Do you think that it's selfish to choose one service over another because of personal preference, or do you think just having the preference of one over another is a form of specific calling?