The View Up Here

After so much neglect, it was time to spruce up ye olde blog. I'm certainly not the same as I was several years ago when I began blogging. So much has changed - all for the good - so why not visually express that here?  The color families are among my favorites:  retro-ish ocean blue-green and cranberry. I took the photo in the header a couple years ago at Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA, close to where I grew up.  I will be blogging more about my practice of Tai Chi, experience with prayer, thoughts about living out my faith, and other delights such as film reviews and the occasional socio-cultural commentary. That's all for now. Cheerio.

Today I prayed my Rosary specifically for the conversion of China. The tyranny of Communism includes the destruction not just of ideas, but of people.  Human rights are trampled on, and history is rewritten. I recall my former Chinese students explaining patiently to me that they knew their government was censoring news and other forms of media, but that the government is there to protect them, like a parent. The notion that free flowing information was stopped up, censored, rewritten and repackaged held no repugnance for them.   For these young minds, having been wholly formed in this way, I pray.  I pray that the dignity of the human person regains its place over the supreme power of the State. I pray that freedom of religion and self-expression will find a place in China one day. I pray for Cardinal Zen of Hong Kong, who was arrested for his pro-democracy efforts and faithfulness to the Gospel. Since childhood, I have been attracted to and fascinated by the history, la...

This time, I really did forget that I had a blog. It's been over a year since my last post, and the only reason I remembered I had a blog is the link from my website. I'm not kidding. It's almost like I was busy with life or something.  Life.  Working, moving, working, discerning... I can't even crunch into a post what the last year has been like. I will say it has been challenging and at times I was in a deep depression (that is to say, mid-winter). But it has also presented amazing opportunities for friendships, spiritual depths, and personal development.  With only two weeks left of school, I'm looking forward to a summer of kayaking, Tai Chi, writing, and playing music with my new group "The Ivy Leagues."  Then there is the ongoing contemplative stance of listening and saying "yes."  I will blog more frequently as the powerful grip of the school year comes to a close.  Please pray for me, and be assured of my prayers for any readers I may hav...