Mr. Justin Gibson
Below my wife describes a perfect day, which happens enough, but is still somewhat elusive. For the sake of thoughtfulness, I will just describe a day. I usually wake up somewhat early and begin my daily adventure from a reading in the Benedictine rule or some other monastic expression which my wife dubs “the books with boring titles”. After some brief thoughtfulness and a hearty theological exhortation at my wife I might head to the garden or to the coffee shop.
In the last few months I have made the coffee shop into an office of sorts. Sometimes I meet with friends or strangers and other days I spend writing poems or dreaming about graduate school or bikes with engines on them or the walk I would like to take my dog on, ooh or if we have enough money to buy heirloom tomatoes. Then I might head up to the library and spend hours in the stacks reading exciting material that has nothing to do with the current project. After lunch I make it a daily habit to watch the Daily Show. As the day winds down I like to exhaust the evening of all its resources and maybe make the second coffee round with my wife or friends.
That has been the typical day for the last few years, but now to save money and work toward this mission trip we are living 30 minutes outside of a town with no coffee shops and I am working 10-12 hours a day on a farm with a lazy Sunday off. Luckily this year’s garden is the biggest I have ever grown, my wife still loves me and the sunsets are always a godsend.
After breakfast, in my pajamas of course, I would spend the next several hours reading my newest book. I read a lot of fiction, and thanks to my former life as a 6th grade teacher, I am current on all the newest teen fiction. When Justin (my husband) and I found out that we were officially accepted to the World Race, our first question was, “What books can we take that will be good for the entire year?!” We equally describe ourselves as nerdy, bookish people.
For my perfect day, I wouldn’t waste time on a shower. This time could be much better spend playing several hands of Skip-Bo. My husband and I are convinced that if Skip-Bo held a national competition, we would take 1st and 2nd. The order depends on who you ask, but I probably a tiny bit better than he is. J We are both the oldest child, and our competition usually rears its ugly head during games, or grades, or productivity…or often.
So after winning at Skip-Bo, my perfect day would continue with spending time outside. This could be a bike ride, a walk, or time in the garden. Nothing too strenuous, but enough to breath in fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature. Justin has really made me love nature and we are always planning our next camping escapade or “sleeping-in-the-dirt” experience.
As the day winds down, my perfect day would conclude with a trip to the grocery store. Justin and I both love to cook together if we have time to try a new and fun recipe. We would load up on ingredients and spend the next several hours cooking an exotic meal. We like anything Thai or Indian inspired. Hopefully, our meal would make way more than we could eat, so we would have to invite our friends over to eat with us. We truly have some of the greatest friends in the world, and it is so encouraging to find people that share the same ideas and visions. We love them all!
As the day ends, I would finish the perfect day with a phone call to my mom and sisters. I still cannot go an entire day without talking to my mom on the phone. She is my biggest fan and the most beautiful woman. Also, my sisters are hysterical. They can be a little embarrassing in public, but they make life a little sillier. I am very thankful for my family. My mom is 1 of 9 children and my grandparents are still married after nearly 50 years. My grandma is truly the most inspirational woman I’ve ever known, and I am so proud to be the granddaughter of Cecilia.
