The Point

The point is people.
That's it. Relationships matter.
More than lines of code.
More than all A's.
More than being on time or well dressed.
I know all this intellectually, but I very rarely act like it. I let my schedule dictate my day, and never leave wiggle room for relationship time with people. That's why the girls on my floor never see me and I haven't gotten to know the freshmen and I'm not invited on random outings. I never have time for them. I'm running from meeting to meeting to homework time to sleep to work... and don't have down time to spend with anyone.
So, Thursday, I made a decision. I had somewhere I ought to have been, but one of the freshmen in my small group had an hour to kill and asked if I wanted to go for coffee. Ordinarily, my answer is, No, sorry, I'm on my way here or there. But not Thursday. Some would say I should have stuck to plans, but this was an opportunity I pass up way more often than I should, if I claim to love people. So I went to coffee with my friend. And you know what? Nothing profound came up. We talked mostly of the Croatian alphabet. But you know what else? That time was better get-to-know-you time than I could ever concoct in a small group meeting. I made a decision to make people a priority over my schedule.
Recently, I've done that a couple other times- spent time with people over doing things I 'ought' to be doing. I've stayed up till 2 or later talking, when I have work the next morning at 8. And, again, it was worth it if noothing more than to communicate to my friends that I care enough to give them attention and time. For super-organized, anal me, the choice to deviate from my schedule is a very hard one, but I have found, I am always rewarded.