Fr. Don's Daily Reflection
Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”
A reader writes: “I have been struggling with what I call ‘the blahs’, or a lack of motivation.” These feelings resonate with mine as she must have detected in these Reflections. She hopes her note will provide “a moment of joy and hope.” I have days struggling with the “blahs”, with lack of motivation. This may be due to a monotony in my ambiance. FaceTime, Zoom, etc., all fortunately can take one beyond present confines.
Further, a newly opened practice at the Abbey offers hope. Visitors are allowed: sitting six feet apart outside, sheltered by a canopy, wearing masks. Sign-up required. Seeing in the flesh my closest friend A. who had cycled a little over 5 miles was a refreshing breakthrough. He and I inaugurated this concession. Though we do FaceTime frequently, this was a wonderful, personal taste of reality.
After he left, I felt sorrow at being myself so confined compared to his freedom to move about. Back in my cell/room I felt confused, possibly overwhelmed and unable to really focus.
To my surprise after dinner I felt charged and finally able to get to a small technical task which I had been avoiding for a couple of weeks. Evidently as a byproduct of the visit this came with easy eagerness. After three months of confinement I felt such a visit was at least “one small step for a man” if not “one giant leap for mankind."
Quadriplegic Joe (dictating with a new software program) writes: “I hope you are not going crazy with being confined by the virus. I truly miss watching sports and having people visit me.” No visitors for the disabled: really one of the most inhumane, among many, results of our efforts to outwit the virus.
From Jilin City in China, friend, American graduate student Clark had written: “There have been no new cases of Covid-19 for about 6 weeks. Many local stores and shops have reopened. But the school retains strict measures; I am confined to campus. Still, it's better than it was during the second wave which resulted in 40 new cases of Covid-19 in the city and kept me immured inside my room for 3 weeks(!).” (Another inhumane result of anti-virus efforts.)
“It's a relief to be able to interact with other humans!” Clark exclaims. “I have two friends, one from Mali, the other from Congo-Brazzaville who I enjoy visiting with. I also enjoy my conversations with one of the security guards in the dorm.”
“Nonetheless, once one gets a little freedom it seems like one always wants a little bit more, right?” (Exactly, right!) “That would mean going out, visiting friends in the city or hiking in the mountains. I do, of course, interact with friends and family electronically. This is another blessing, but sometimes leaves me having the same aforementioned ‘wanting more’ feeling.”
“It is the small things that matter and make my life meaningful. E.g., one of my Chinese teachers who streams videos on the internet weekends; the security guard who asks and actually cares about my progress in applying for grad school; my friend who sent me mangos; a text from friend Tim just to check in; a conversation with my parents in Dubuque when we mostly talk about the same things, etc. These are some important sources of life that God has worked into my life during this period.”
The blahs, joyous reconnecting, lack of motivation, envy of others’ freedom, monotonous ambiance, stimulation, coping . . .
Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”
