Disconnected Thoughts

Daybreak at Holy Cross
September 2012

Why so long since my last post?

For one thing, it's been quite the first month of the semester. The stretch from the final day of August to the final day of September included:

• The first days of class
• Two individual grant submissions, periodic updates of the office website, and two major proposal projects (both ongoing)
• Hosting the College's trustees for dinner during their fall meeting
• Three days of events celebrating the inauguration of the new president of Holy Cross
• Preparations for a trip to Bolivia next week
• Rehearsals for the theater department's production of "Machinal"
• The daily rhythm of research, writing, meetings, chatting in the hallways, and so on

In addition, amidst this delightful breadth and quantity of events, I've increasingly relished the soothing power of quieter, contemplative time. Specifically, spending my evenings (after Mass and dinner and perhaps an evening walk with my Jesuit brothers) in the calming pursuits of reading, writing, knitting, praying, and listening to classical music, all with my door propped open to let gentle breezes cycle through.

Furthermore, continuing on the meditations described in a previous post, I'm increasingly skeptical of this blog's ability to communicate in the ways that I intend, and in ways that are consistent with the depth of communication that I believe is deserved by any with whom I might engage in conversation. I struggle to discover in my blogging, despite its potential for breadth of audience, a capacity to unify depth of connection and specificity of audience. I know that I find, and relish, that latter synergy in the art of written correspondence that I and some good friends maintain... a practice, I might add, that has recently (and happily) been occupying time that otherwise might be devoted to blogging. Yet perhaps I'm conceiving of this medium, and my usage of it, in ways not entirely consistent with its strengths.

I'm much closer to concluding this period of blogging than when I first wrote about this topic in July. Yet I'm not completely convinced that my work, and my learning, is finished here. One thing seems to be true... I'll be changing my style of, and approach to, using this method of communication, whether I stay with it or let it go. I'd welcome any thoughts, not only about how I might proceed, but also about your experience of communication in all its forms, particularly those that you savor most deeply.