A Short Timeout

Dear friends,

I thought I’d let you know it’ll be a week or so before I bring my series on conscience to a conclusion (not that any of you are waiting with bated breath for this to happen). I’m taking a short timeout for a number of reasons.

First, a friend and I are midway through a 21-day experiment in practicing the Ignatian exercises. A key aspect is the practice of paying attention to where God's goodness, truth, and beauty are present, and recognizing God's face of love in those experiences.

This experiment is widening my imagination, particularly in how I’ve got a long way to go in learning to love as God would have me love. It’s disemboweling yet encouraging at the same time. Best to take a short timeout when you’re being disemboweled.

I also took a timeout while we were at the beach. Best to absorb sunrises, pondering them for all their worth, rather than looking for writing material.

I’m also taking a timeout to steel myself for my shoulder surgery scheduled for September. I tore a major tendon in my shoulder three months ago. Doc says I’ll be 100 percent by June of next year, which is why I had to steel myself to play the long game.

I also took a timeout to enjoy my birthday. It’s not every day that you turn 71. I spent most of the day with my lovely bride, Kathy. Doesn’t she look good? Better say yes.

We took this picture in the Gardens right outside the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. We then headed straight for the 13th- to 17th-century Italian artists we have come to love. I’m always struck by the beauty in scenes like the one below by Fra Angelico.

I was a history major in college, so as we made our way through the National Gallery I paid close attention to the date of these magnificent works. The artwork that we find stunningly beautiful mostly dates from before 1500. Then it stops. Why?

That requires a longer answer than is appropriate here. It has to do with something that happened 500 years ago.

Which brings me to something that happened 44 years ago. Kathy and I were married on August 16th. We will celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary next week. So I won’t be back at the keyboard until after that. Hope to see you then. Mike