Tonight, like many other nights, I find myself alone in my house. Sometimes I choose the solitude, sometimes I don't. On the evenings when the seclusion is involuntary, loneliness isn't far behind.
I wouldn't say that I'm a people person. I'm certainly an introvert. Yet I'm also an avid observer, and with nothing to observe... I guess you could say that I lose my greatest source of entertainment! I enjoy - nay, I need - to live with other people. Home is my center; it is where I like to spend my time, no matter what my home looks like (I've had 6 in the past 6 years). So an empty home is just immensely sad to me.
I brought this to my spiritual director last year, and he told me that loneliness isn't something that depends upon how many people are in your life. My life won't be miraculously cured of loneliness when I start dating, get married, or have a house full of kids. It is a reality of life. He said to me, "A priest can have a wonderful time celebrating a Christmas Eve mass with his parish, but he has to go home to the rectory and no one is waiting for him."
Talk about a little perspective. The men who guide us in our faith face a far deeper loneliness than I can comprehend. Their sole consolation is the company of Jesus Christ, as it should be for us all. And quite frankly, how can one compare the company of humans, who fail and are imperfect, with the company of our steadfast and perfect Lord?
Now when I feel loneliness nipping at the edges of my heart, I rejoice, for it drives me into the arms of Christ. It is a reminder that Jesus is always with me, wherever I am, and He alone can satisfy the longing for love in my heart.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Thirst Quenchers
Hello again! I've been feeling the itch of getting back in this space for some time, then realized that I'll never have a perfect "prodigal" post (how's that for alliteration?), and should just dive back in!
Since the tagline for this blog is "drinking in books, music, life, and God", I would like to share some of my discoveries with you.
Music
It has been an exciting couple months for "girl music", as a certain 3 year old calls it. In September, I was turned on to the music of Elizabeth Mitchell. To put her into a genre seems like a crime, but she writes and performs mainly children's music. It's the lovely blend of folk and contemporary that makes me want to lie in the grass and watch clouds go by for hours, in love with the beauty of our world. Very peaceful.
In the last month, The Wailin' Jennys have been on repeat. Similar to Elizabeth Mitchell, they're folky, guitar-based, a little bluegrass, a little pop-y. It's a group of three women who harmonize on all songs. I wouldn't say their music is groundbreaking, but it's comforting and so lovely. I'm trying to commit some of their songs to memory as part of my kiddo repertoire - you can seriously entertain some kids by busting out a song every once in a while.
Books
If you're a fan of older-child chapter books (the title "Young Adult" doesn't quite fit here), especially those with a touch of fantasy, check out The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. Set in Dickensian England (-ish), we begin with young Penelope Lumley, recent graduate of the Swanburn Academy for Poor Bright Females, as she is hired on to govern three ferule children found in the woods. Ahead of her is the challenge to get them to behave like proper children, with lofty intentions of teaching them Latin verbs. Two words: LOVED IT!
For the young child in all of us comes Bunny Days. I can't recommend this book highly enough. All the children to whom I've read it have LOVED it. Beautiful, simple illustrations, sparse narration, slightly silly humor - this book's got it all! Seriously, just check it out.
I'll be back soon with more depth later. For now, it's just good to be back!
Since the tagline for this blog is "drinking in books, music, life, and God", I would like to share some of my discoveries with you.
Music
It has been an exciting couple months for "girl music", as a certain 3 year old calls it. In September, I was turned on to the music of Elizabeth Mitchell. To put her into a genre seems like a crime, but she writes and performs mainly children's music. It's the lovely blend of folk and contemporary that makes me want to lie in the grass and watch clouds go by for hours, in love with the beauty of our world. Very peaceful.In the last month, The Wailin' Jennys have been on repeat. Similar to Elizabeth Mitchell, they're folky, guitar-based, a little bluegrass, a little pop-y. It's a group of three women who harmonize on all songs. I wouldn't say their music is groundbreaking, but it's comforting and so lovely. I'm trying to commit some of their songs to memory as part of my kiddo repertoire - you can seriously entertain some kids by busting out a song every once in a while.
Books
If you're a fan of older-child chapter books (the title "Young Adult" doesn't quite fit here), especially those with a touch of fantasy, check out The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. Set in Dickensian England (-ish), we begin with young Penelope Lumley, recent graduate of the Swanburn Academy for Poor Bright Females, as she is hired on to govern three ferule children found in the woods. Ahead of her is the challenge to get them to behave like proper children, with lofty intentions of teaching them Latin verbs. Two words: LOVED IT!For the young child in all of us comes Bunny Days. I can't recommend this book highly enough. All the children to whom I've read it have LOVED it. Beautiful, simple illustrations, sparse narration, slightly silly humor - this book's got it all! Seriously, just check it out.
I'll be back soon with more depth later. For now, it's just good to be back!
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