Choices

Last weekend I was offered a choice as part of a retreat I was on.  I realized at a deeper level how much our life is really the sum of our choices.  For years now, I've been choosing to do some things pretty regularly: come home and watch tv, drink a beer (or two), talk to my buddy on the phone, go to bed.  And other things - like how I see my life and how I see other people: my job at Loyola is to love and serve people, my friends are there to help me get through life and I'm there to help them, basically I'm doing the best I can each day until I die.  Ok, there's nothing really wrong with that, but last weekend I experienced a deep "happiness" that's been missing.  I've been happy before - plenty happy, and at a pretty deep level.  But this was a kind of religious, spiritual, bottom of my soul "happy".  I've also felt that before, but much more rarely.  And I was reminded that it's this kind of happy that I want to feel more and more - more deeply and more often.  So the choice before me is which flame am I going to fan: the one that I've grown used to, which is secure, safe, somewhat happy, but kind of stagnant; or the one that gives me a kind of joy I can't get anywhere else, and that is more attractive than any other I've ever felt?  Seems pretty clear, but habits are hard to break.

James Joyce (without the art)

Blogging from my phone - not a good sign. Melissa - you rock, even though we haven't talked in 10 years. David Bowie, Cooter Brown', Patron, some new Abita. Latin Mass - what!? Here's to intellectual curiosity. Things that make me happy: Ryan Talbot overtired, Jimmy Elcock, Jordan, Joe, margaret and the whole crowd in the studio tonight. PBR (not the beer, the sport). Being employed. Loyola, Kurt. New Orleans. God loves so much. I'm in the mood for love. Love to all the students, friends. Peace.