As I sit here, taking care of not one, but two infants, I'm getting just a taste of the fact that so few of us live a charmed life. For the most part, I've done pretty well for 28 years. I've never been stuck in a Katrina-like Natural disaster. I've never found msyelf without a job or a home. I've never faced a major physical injury or disease, no pronouncements of cancer, not even a broken bone. Instead, I've been blessed with enough brains and athletic ability to enjoy high school sports and music and attend college in another country. I got married to my college sweetheart, lived in Los Angeles for 4 years, working at an amazing church, and now have the luxury of attending one of the most prestigous seninaries in the nation (I'll make no claims to whether it deserves the prestige). And of course we've been blessed with a wonderful son...
So, when I look at my current situation, being a full-time seminary student, with an internship this semester and taking care of our son while my wife works full-time, with the addition of course of our friend's daughter 2 days a week as we baby swap so that we can attend our classes, I'm gettign at least a little reminder that most people don't have the luxury of having things handed to them, and being able to screw around every day, looking for something to do. I used to experience some of that, but no more.
Now, I don't say this to complain. I still believe I've got it pretty well compared to many others. I say this in many was as a reminder to myself. Looking back, I don't think I can remember a time in my life where I've had such a packed schedule, day in and day out. In High School I was pretty busy, but I never had to worry about paying any bills, making dinner, taking care of a little baby who depends on you for everything... This is definitely the busiest I've ever been. And yet there are people out there who work 3 jobs as single parents to take care of their kids. They can't afford a babysitter or new clothes. There are people who are caring for aged relatives inside their cramped home, where they never thought they'd have to find another bedroom...
I think this year may be a very good opportunity for me to not only learn to be discipline (or die trying) but also to learn something about those who don't have 10-20+hrs/wk to devote to "hobbies" or other things of little importance. And those are the people most likely I'll be serving in the parish a year from now. And figuring out how to serve them, how to be a minister of the gospel to people who are suffering, and busy with life, things that they simply have to do to survive...Hopefully, I'll learn something of that this year. I'll certainly be in the rice places for it...
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