Life/Death

Listened and watched a wonderful podcast and powerful documentary short today. The subjects reflected on life and death, respectively. The first is from my favorite podcast called Radiolab. The episode is titled 23 Weeks 6 Days and chronicles the story of a couple whose daughter was born extremely prematurely. Questions upon questions are delved into surrounding the miracle of birth and the struggle of life.

The video is a 30 for 30 documentary short The Irrelevant Giant. John Tuggle, the 1983 NFL draft's Mr. Irrelevant, a moniker given to the last pick in the NFL draft, was anything but irrelevant to legendary coach Bill Parcells. The normally tough New York Giants head coach remembers Tuggle's emotional journey.

Both pieces of media spoke to me and I hope can speak to you. Life is a wonderful gift. And the strength and inspiration of a child or person that embraces and lives life to its fullest is something that we all can learn from, gain strength from, and honor by living our lives for what they are: beautiful gifts. Enjoy the sunshine!

Holy Spirit...

Come Holy Spirit...

Replace the tension within me with a holy relaxation.
Replace the turbulence within me with a sacred calm.
Replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence.
Replace the fear within me with a strong faith.
Replace the bitterness within me with the sweetness of grace.
Replace the darkness within me with a gentle light.
Replace the coldness within me with a loving warmth.
Replace the night within me with Your day.
Replace the winter within me with Your spring.

A prayer by Fr. James Moriarity

This next month, I'll be posting a little more often... as I move through this difficult season. Someone suggested that going through a separation where one person is leaving another is akin to a death. So I'll be posting on each of the five stages of grief. Coming soon...

The Beautiful Struggle.

Henri J.M. Nouwen has been my favorite theologian for the past ten years.  And it's not only because he's Dutch.  Although that does make him naturally good looking.  But with new struggles in life, Nouwen's words of consolation and healing have taken on new meaning and have been a source of comfort during these past few months.  Below is a quick daily meditation from Nouwen that continues to speak into my soul.  

"Time heals," people often say.  This is not true when it means that we will eventually forget the wounds inflicted on us and be able to live on as if nothing happened.  That is not really healing;  it is simply ignoring reality.  But when the expression "time heals" means that faithfulness in a difficult relationship can lead us to a deeper understanding of the ways we have hurt each other, then there is much truth in it.  "Time heals" implies not passively waiting but actively working with our pain and trusting in the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Upon reflecting on these words through the lens of the "truth in it" -- I have started to find strength in truth of the struggle.  It's a beautiful struggle.  Maybe not as beautiful as Talib Kweli lyrically, but my beautiful struggle, nonetheless.