Are you ready...

For health reasons, I left my mountain sanctuary, and traveled to town several days this week. It is probably a good thing that my health issues are physical and not mental, as these trips have pushed me to the edge on a couple of occasions. One thing in particular was on everyone's mind no matter where I went; and always the same question asked of everyone.

Are you ready?

It started on Tuesday morning when I arrived at the health clinic. After exchanging initial pleasantries, the nurse asked me if I was ready?

Yes I said, I have my food chart, my readings, and I think my week actually went pretty well.

No, no, I mean are you ready for Christmas?

I didn't know how to answer. I mean, what did she want to know?

I don't know, I replied.

She said, oh well, you must be one of those that let your wife do all the Christmas shopping.

Now I felt guilty, there was something I had missed. I knew if I went home and asked my wife Teri, if I had missed something I was supposed to do, the list would be much too long to narrow it down to a specific time period or season. That just wasn't going to work. It was then that I determined more research would be needed to find out for sure, if I was ready; or more importantly, if I had missed an opportunity to be a better husband.

On Thursday, I had another appointment with a doctor. As I sat in the reception area, I listened to the same question repeated over and over as patients arrived. Are you ready? It was even worse when I was stranded at the drug store waiting for the approval scan from my insurance provider for three new prescriptions needed so I might become less grumpy. (It is said that one of the side effects of being a diabetic, is that you are irritable. Who knew?) There had to be no less than thirty people who approached the counter while I sat waiting. Each and everyone was asked if they were ready, and every single person had a response that generated a cheerful conversation about their state of readiness.

I also discovered that not all questions about readiness are the same. When I asked drug store employees if my prescription was ready several times over the next hour, I noticed it wasn't received with the same enthusiasm or discussions their question about readiness had led to.

Yesterday, my wife spent most of the day finishing up Christmas goody baskets all filled with home made fudge, truffles, and cookies for people in our small community that I can actually tolerate. I went to the movie, Avatar, great flick.

On my way home, she called and asked if I would pick up some small paper cups for her truffles and candy. When I arrived the kitchen was a mess with candy, cookies, and all kinds of goodies that I can't eat anymore. I gave her the little paper cups, and looked anxiously to see if my dinner was ready. It was!

I ate dinner, and thought about asking her if I could help with getting anything ready. However, as I sat eating and watching the delicate process unfold, I realized there wasn't anything I could contribute to her current task. My keen observation of this situation did tell me however, that she wasn't ready, and me asking her about it would surely not lead to a conversation I wanted to have that evening.

I watched TV.

This morning we had a phone call shortly after we emerged from under the covers. Teri answered the phone; the conversation seemed a bit awkward. She said it was a wrong number call; someone said they were leaving the house, and were on their way.

Great, I said, finally somebody that's ready and on their way.

She looked at me, as if I had horns.

Well, it's Saturday night, we delivered the Christmas goody bags today. I watched my favorite team, Duke play basketball all afternoon. I still don't know if I am ready.

Teri should give me a checklist.

It's her fault if I'm not ready.