2 Lessons

November 11, 2011

This has been a very spirit-filled week.  God has touched me deeply in two different experiences this week.  I know that I am supposed to learn lessons from these experiences, so please bear with me while I try to sort them out.

1.  Earlier this week, my philosophy professor, a Jesuit Priest, told me to write a psalm.  Since we have been studying Plato and Aristotle, this seemed totally out of place.  When asked for more guidance, he said that it would just come to us.  He was right.  I cannot remember the last time (if ever) that I sat down, with no agenda, no need, no petition, and wrote a heartfelt message “to God” instead of “about God.”  The words just flowed onto the page, and while I am no poet, I think God may be pleased with the outcome. (I hope the professor is as well.)  I guess the lesson here is that maybe I should check in with Him a little more often just to say, “Hi…I’m doing fine…thanks for being there.” 

2.  Yesterday, a fellow seminarian and I took a ride along the coast of Maine.  Along the way, we stopped at Old Orchard Beach, a place where our family used to go every summer when I was a kid.  Driving past the cottage that used to belong to my Godparents, I noticed woman sitting in the window of a neighboring cottage.  It brought back memories of the people who used to live there and would treat my sister and me to cookies or ice cream.  I kept driving, but something made me turn around and go knock on her door.  I could see through the window as she slowly got up from her chair and used her walker to make her way to the door.  When the door opened, I asked her if her name was Mary.  I told her my name and her face lit up.  I had not seen her since sometime in the early 1960’s…nearly 50 years ago.  We talked for quite some time about the fun we used to have there, and what had happened to this person and that person.  So what is the lesson here?  I think of all the things I have done since then, all the places I have gone, all the people I have met, all the things that made me who I have become.  Sometimes I think we lose sight of the little kid we once were.  We bury them in all we do and all we want to become as adults.  Thanks Mary, for taking me back 50 years and showing me that kid.

School is still going well.  Headed home for Thanksgiving eleven days! 

In Christ,

Russ