St Gabriel Windows

St Gabriel Windows
Photocopy c. 2013 Jamie Laubacher

Friday, October 20, 2006

Four Little Words Meme

I've been tagged by my friend Esther, with an interesting meme that's going around. What an honor! Those tagged are to give their thoughts on the following four words:

Responsibility: when I think of this word, I think: I've got a lot of it! Indeed, what comes first to mind is the added responsibility of home educating our children; an awesome, exhausting and joyful repsonsibility at best. Next, I think of the responsibility of parents in regard to the souls of their children; educating for eternity! This can be altogether too overwhelming in human terms, if the added ingredient, the most important of all is left out: with God, all things are possible.

Reality: strangely, I think of the movie: The Matrix.** While I wouldn't recommend this movie to just anybody, I do believe it caused me to think about my own, our own, reality in a deeper more philosophic way. I recall Deal Hudson, past editor of Crisis Magazine, give an editorial of sorts in his talk at a NACHE conference one year: titled, Rebuilding a Catholic Culture (close enough). I wasn't sure at first what exactly his talk about the movie The Matrix had to do with rebuilding a Catholic culture in our homes.....but, eventually, I think I got it :) Deal explained about the Socratic undertones in the story....that it is better man faces his reality, however horrifying or grim and not live in a fabrication of reality that presents itself as a good and pleasurable when indeed it is a fake good, a front so to speak; when faced with his true reality, man will then have the will to lift himself out of the grimness of his situation and seek a higher good, the truth (God)..... well, it's certainly too much to get into here, but perhaps his audio tape is still available through NACHE.

Renewal: ...there is always a chance of it, isn't there? God is good in that he gives us as many new beginnings as we need. And if you're like me, you might need quite a few! Renewal reminds me of recharging, regrouping; renewing commitments and convictions, and especially of starting anew; an opportunity to begin again......and again, if necessary.

Reflection: It seems I do this a lot. I must have a built-in reflection mechanism, a need to reflect very often. Perhaps the consistent examination of conscience in the evenings helps put one more in a reflective mode. At any rate, once I considered this word, I realized I reflect upon the happenings of the day, week, month and year, in regard to the direction God is leading me. Sometimes, it is only hindsight that tells us the true story......and so reflection is an important aspect of spiritual direction, measurement, growth and progress.

Next four words for those tagged here: Education, Ego, Election, and Elation!

Tagged are:
Lynn at Life Is Beauty

Johnny-Nobody

Meredith, Sweetness and Light

Cay, Cajun Cottage



** Please note regarding The Matrix. It is rated R and is certainly for mature audiences only; brief language and stylized violence. It's not my usual movie choice...being the romantic I am, but it was an experience.

1 comment:

EC Gefroh said...

Denise, I found your replies very interesting to say the least, especially, the reality one.
God bless,