Six weeks ago I was in a place where I hadn’t been in a long time.  My sense of purpose walked out the door with my youngest child when he moved into his first apartment. I looked at life and asked the question, “What am I supposed to do now?”

Life did not say anything. Translated, that meant wait and see.  Wait and see?  I do not like wait and see.  I’m the kind of person that googles the plot spoiler when the story is too suspenseful. What was I waiting to see?

Soon enough I saw there was more love and laughter to come. Berkley, a  good friend, invited me to join her in a Habitat for Humanity project. Now, I spend my weekends with the most giving people I have ever met,  caring about details I never would have conceived possible. And irony, the Habitat people are beating me at my own game.  This is a summary of how the day transpired.

Habitat for Humanity leader:  Today you are going to trim

Trish: I want to hang doors

Habitat for Humanity leader: O.k. that’ll work

The Habitat for Humanity leader teaches us how to hang doors and use the nail gun to connect the baseboards to the wall.

Habitat for Humanity leader: o.k. (picks two people) you can work on the other bedroom doors. (picks two other people) you can work with me on the bathroom door. (points to my friend Jen and me) you two can do baseboards.

Trish:  o.k.

Four hours later, on the drive home Jen and I realized they tricked us into trimming!  That’s the kind of thing I do to my students. They are good, really good. And from what I have seen thus far, there is: a lot more for me to do, a lot more people who can use my help, a lot more chances to love, and a lot more chances to laugh.