Took the Wind Out of My Sails

Amazing what some contrary news can do to you.  There I was, moseying along, writing my blog, morning after morning.  When, bam, contrary news.  And next thing you know four straight mornings went by without a peep.  What happened?

Let's review.  Don't lose the contrary news.  That came in on Friday morning, just a few hours after the last post.

But before the contrary news, what happened Friday evening?  I got in late after dinner with an out of town friend.  Which was great.  That was a long day.  March for life.  Lots of traveling all around the city, on foot (with newly-resoled shoes), in the car.  The hours were way off.  I borrowed from the Ordinary Form just to make it happen.

"Saint Christopher" by Dirk Bouts (1468)

Wednesday afternoon the first wave of contrary news hit, but I didn't notice it until Thursday afternoon.  Friday morning the second wave hit and it turned into total damage control.  I spent three hours writing the bulletin article about the matter.  (I'm not going to say, at this time, what the matter was outright, because that's not even the point.)  I've found sometimes that bulletin articles can be exhausting.  I'll have to figure out why another time.  That bulletin article was particularly exhausting, I was under the gun to be on the road to meet my friend.  That probably helped matters.  But the point of these last two paragraphs is to say, Friday was a long day.

So Saturday was a bit of a mess as a result in addition to being a busy day.  I was exhausted from the day before.  I slept in.  I had a couple of meetings.  Tried to get things ready for the evening Mass.  I thought to anticipate that I'd be held accountable for the matter of the contrary report by tackling it head on.  So I prepared to preach on it too.  This took more energy.  So Sunday morning I was distracted but it.  Monday, too, I was in some kind of fog.  Monday afternoon was the meeting where I was held accountable for the contrary report.  I was prepared for it.  It went well, thanks be to God.  But the whole thing was exhausting like I've never been exhausted before.  I'll figure out why some other time.

Even the recovery after-the-fact has taken a moment.  The Hours have helped, though I noticed I've had less vigor for them in the recitation itself.  Less chanting and more mere pronunciation—and sometimes even that was rather lame.

But we're moving now in the right direction.  I know time will help.  The hours are great for keeping me moving along.  Visiting the sick and teaching the children have also been wonderfully restorative, again, thanks be to God.

In observing my response to this contrary report I hope to be better prepared for the next one.  Not that I'm inviting them, but because I know they will come.

Thou, therefore gird up thy loins and arise, and speak to them all that I commanded thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make thee not to fear their countenance. For behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land. They shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee. (Jer 1:17ff)

Today and tomorrow are "thank you note days."

Also, in case you're wondering if these last 4 days I wrote any thank you notes—even a single one—the answer is yes, maybe one.

And lastly, if you're also wondering whether the time indicated below corresponds to the time I closed my laptop, got up out of my seat and left to open the Church (or hop in the shower—if it's a Saturday) the answer is: yes