I walk into a room and wonder who's going to talk to me.
I
walk
into
a
room
and
wonder
who
's
going
to
talk
to
me
.
Unavoidably, I fall into a self-conscious moment.
Unavoidably
,
I
fall
into
a
self-conscious
moment
.
I'm waiting for my daughters to finish a gymnastics class, and I look around the waiting room.
I
'm
waiting
for
my
daughters
to
finish
a
gymnastics
class
,
and
I
look
around
the
waiting
room
.
The lively chatter of mothers all around me makes me feel terribly alone.
The
lively
chatter
of
mothers
all
around
me
makes
me
feel
terribly
alone
.
I don't belong in this group; I'm an outsider to the world of little girls trying to finish their homework before the coach calls them in.
I
do
n't
belong
in
this
group
;
I
'm
an
outsider
to
the
world
of
little
girls
trying
to
finish
their
homework
before
the
coach
calls
them
in
.
Nobody is paying attention to me!
Nobody
is
paying
attention
to
me
!
Sulking in pity, I overhear a little girl ask her mother the difference between a homophone and a homonym.
Sulking
in
pity
,
I
overhear
a
little
girl
ask
her
mother
the
difference
between
a
homophone
and
a
homonym
.
My specialty!
My
specialty
!
I can't resist such questions.
I
ca
n't
resist
such
questions
.
I have to assist.
I
have
to
assist
.
For the next 5 minutes, I find myself helping a 4th grader think of words that sound the same but are spelled differently (homophone) and words that sound the same and are spelled the same but mean different things (homonym).
For
the
next
5
minutes
,
I
find
myself
helping
a
4th
grader
think
of
words
that
sound
the
same
but
are
spelled
differently
(
homophone
)
and
words
that
sound
the
same
and
are
spelled
the
same
but
mean
different
things
(
homonym
)
.
You can't help somebody else and also think about how neglected you feel.
You
ca
n't
help
somebody
else
and
also
think
about
how
neglected
you
feel
.
It's a strange phenomenon.
It
's
a
strange
phenomenon
.
It doesn't matter that I'm supremely out of place here.
It
does
n't
matter
that
I
'm
supremely
out
of
place
here
.
I'm serving somebody, and then, everything feels right.
I
'm
serving
somebody
,
and
then
,
everything
feels
right
.
And in a powerful turn of events, the mother who once seemed so cliquish and perfect starts telling me about her life.
And
in
a
powerful
turn
of
events
,
the
mother
who
once
seemed
so
cliquish
and
perfect
starts
telling
me
about
her
life
.
Over homophones, I'm learning about a lifetime of heartbreak.
Over
homophones
,
I
'm
learning
about
a
lifetime
of
heartbreak
.
Each of those mothers might have their own story of loss.
Each
of
those
mothers
might
have
their
own
story
of
loss
.
The room isn't what it seems; it's nothing like it sounds.
The
room
is
n't
what
it
seems
;
it
's
nothing
like
it
sounds
.
Beneath the clique and chatter, there's somebody who needs attention.
Beneath
the
clique
and
chatter
,
there
's
somebody
who
needs
attention
.
Perhaps when I feel most alone, most forgotten, I need to look up, find a way to help and bless (even if it's through homophones), and stop focusing on myself.
Perhaps
when
I
feel
most
alone
,
most
forgotten
,
I
need
to
look
up
,
find
a
way
to
help
and
bless
(
even
if
it
's
through
homophones
)
,
and
stop
focusing
on
myself
.
I want to enter a room, take my eyes off of myself, and find the one who needs help.
I
want
to
enter
a
room
,
take
my
eyes
off
of
myself
,
and
find
the
one
who
needs
help
.
I walk into a room and wonder who's going to talk to me.  Unavoidably, I fall into a self-conscious moment.  I'm waiting for my daughters to finish a gymnastics class, and I look around the waiting room. The lively chatter of mothers all around me makes me feel terribly alone. I don't belong in this group; I'm an outsider to the world of little girls trying to finish their homework before the coach calls them in.  Nobody is paying attention to me!  Sulking in pity, I overhear a little girl ask her mother the difference between a homophone and a homonym.  My specialty! I can't resist such questions. I have to assist. For the next 5 minutes, I find myself helping a 4th grader think of words that sound the same but are spelled differently (homophone) and words that sound the same and are spelled the same but mean different things (homonym).  You can't help somebody else and also think about how neglected you feel. It's a strange phenomenon. It doesn't matter that I'm supremely out of place here. I'm serving somebody, and then, everything feels right. And in a powerful turn of events, the mother who once seemed so cliquish and perfect starts telling me about her life. Over homophones, I'm learning about a lifetime of heartbreak.  Each of those mothers might have their own story of loss. The room isn't what it seems; it's nothing like it sounds. Beneath the clique and chatter, there's somebody who needs attention.  Perhaps when I feel most alone, most forgotten, I need to look up, find a way to help and bless (even if it's through homophones), and stop focusing on myself. I want to enter a room, take my eyes off of myself, and find the one who needs help.