I like inside. Outside is okay, I guess, but I like inside. Fewer bugs. Easier to read. Closer to the coffee. Easier to control who gets close.

Wait.  Say that again?

Easier to control who gets close?

That’s what I thought you said.  Did you mean to say that?

Um, I’m not sure. It just sort of came out. I’m not sure I like how it sounds, but, well, er, maybe it’s true. Sort of. In a nice way.

Exactly what would be the nice way that it could be said?

Well…try this: whenimtooaccessiblepeopleinterupptmeallthetimewithquestionsandicantgetanyrealwork
doneandtherearethingsiamsupposedtodo.

Won’t work. We’ve talked about that before. People are the point. You know that.

Yes, but wait: Jesus did it. He went off by himself. So I get to stay inside. Away.

Nice try. Yes, he did get away. Really early in the morning, sometimes other times. But in a flow of public and private interactions. It was recharging and recalibration, but he was actually engaged with people the rest of the time.

I’m engaged. How can you say that I’m not interacting with people.

Yes, but on their schedule or yours?

What?

Are you available to people on your schedule or on their schedule? Are you open for people to walk up and start conversations or are you hiding somewhere, controlling your interactions.

That’s pretty tough. I mean, Emily Dickinson…

Are you Emily? Are you?

Um, no.

Is it possible that when Matthew says, “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake,” you could learn something?

But what about the bugs?

I think Jesus didn’t notice the bugs. I mean, look at this:  “Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.”

Oh.