There are days where I feel like I'm in a Time Machine. This past weekend I found myself transported back to the summer of 1990.
Needless to say, it was a bumpy ride, and I'm still experiencing jet lag.
Speaking of time, I haven't posted anything here in almost three years.
Since that last post in 2014, I moved to Virginia and now work at Georgetown University. Georgetown is a Jesuit University, whose mission is steeped in Jesuit Values.
I have been thinking about Ignation Examens, a daily reflection that looks at the events of the day in order to detect God's presence in one's life (read more about Examens on the Ignation Spirituality website), and whether or not one is following that presence or their own will.
I read a post, Finding God on the Metro by William Blazek, SJ. It reminded me of this blog, specifically my Insta-gram posts, as well as a series of "things" I wrote, which eventually became known as my Subway Sketches.
I call them "things" because they aren't poetry, although some are poetic, and when I wrote them I knew nothing about Examens and would never have considered calling them reflections. But, as I think about them now, I realize they were moments where I noticed God's presence. Although, I prefer to think of it as the universe talking to me.
For me, those moments of noticing are about re-vitalizing my sense of wonder at the world. Without this exercise, I become closed to what is wonder-ful about my life, and then cynicism creeps back and gratitude disappears. It becomes a never-ending cycle of negativity and depression and this, this is when I find myself in my Time Machine.
So, I've decided to start my Insta-grams again, and bring wonder back into my life. I am going to follow the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced:
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
