we the living.

i barely had time to breathe today. being busy is a lovely distraction from all of the mundanity, but as to be expected, it gets stressful. after about six cups of coffee (those one dollar refills get me every time) that reliable anxiety began to tighten in my chest. then, out of nowhere, a little guardian angel came to provide some natural sedation.

this random guy in one of my classes, whom i've never talked to, gave me a book. We the Living by Ayn Rand. if you aren't familiar, she's the author of The Fountainhead. he said that me and my writing reminded him of the heroine of the novel.

i haven't begun the book yet (i have absolutely no time for leisure this week), but i read the teaser synopsis located right before the foreword:

"In a bitter struggle of the individual against the collective, three people stand forth with the mark of the unconquered in their bearing: Kira, who wants to be a builder, and the two men who love her- Leo, an aristocrat, and Andrei, a communist. What happens to the defiant ones? What happens to those who succumb? Who are the winners in this conflict? Against a vivid panorama of political revolution and personal revolt, Ayn Rand offers an answer that challenges the modern conscience."

it was a very sweet gesture, and really helped me to step back for a second to calm down. good things happen when you least expect it :)