Freedom

New senior apartments (opening August 2011)

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester MA

Earlier this evening, as I've done many times over the past several days, I went for a stroll around campus after dinner. Holy Cross is rather quiet at this time of year; other than a basketball camp for local youth, an array of construction projects, and a handful of administrators working on summer projects, there aren't many people around, and the place really empties out by 5pm. A long stretch of rainy days at the end of June has given way to a refreshing and pleasant pattern of bright, crisp mornings giving way to mild, sunny days that gently slide into clear, cool nights– perfect for lingering outdoors at any hour.

At this halfway point of the year, a long weekend encompassing national holidays in both Canada and the United States, I find myself musing on what I've learned during 2011 thus far, and wondering what the remainder of this year holds. Thanks to my friendship with a Canadian Jesuit who spent some time in our community, I feel a closer affinity to our neighbor to the north. Thanks to a transition from teaching at Nativity to working at the College, I'm experiencing the newness of a different schedule, a new line of work, and a welcome shift in the focus of my days. With a calmer and less stressful routine, I'm finding more time and energy to pray, a gift that is revealing the aspects of my relationship with Jesus that need renewal. Simply having the time and space to come to that realization is itself a gift, and it's my hope that the coming summer weeks will continue to offer an atmosphere in which to devote the effort and energy necessary to allow greater vibrancy and familiarity to return to a valued friendship whose strength and support I've been missing. Thanks to the witness of several close friends who, whether frankly revealing the pain of current struggles, excitedly sharing new opportunities that beckon, or calling out of me some tales of the joys and anxieties that I harbor quietly, I've got a partial map, and some inspiring examples, to follow along this length of my spiritual journey.

Freedom is striking me anew as the wonderful gift that it is, and the responsibility that it carries. It is by no means a liberation from work, but rather a key tool for doing, and being, my best as a Jesuit, friend, member of my family, and global citizen. It is indeed something to celebrate, whether with others or alone, ably honored with fireworks and jubilation, yet just as fruitfully savored during a tranquil stroll through a quiet place under a lovely sky.

Sunset over Fenwick Hall

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester MA