"That We May Fall in Love . . ."



Photo credit to Conception Abbey.
For more photos from Conception, see listenmyson.wordpress.com

I’ve begun my eighth and final semester at Conception Seminary.  Certainly I’m ready for graduation to come, yet a growing part of me is becoming aware of what I’ll be leaving behind.  The friends I’ve come to make here will be difficult to say good-bye to, but what will also be difficult is leaving behind this beautiful Benedictine environment.

Anyone who visits Conception notices one thing immediately: we’re literally in the middle of nowhere.  This is often difficult for those who come from larger towns as I did.  Being twenty minutes from the nearest Wal-mart and unable to leave campus except for weekends and special times can seem very restraining.  Yet this is precisely one of the reasons I was attracted to Conception in the first place.  I find myself walking between century-old buildings, looking out over the rolling hills, listening to the birds chirping during the day and the coyotes howling at night, observing how the trees majestically change over the seasons, and connecting this peace to my own heart, which is sometimes restless, ill-focused, and worrisome.  Due to this environment, I am able to calm down, take a deep breath, and simply give thanks to God for the gift of life. 

Lately I’ve been noticing much more of this, maybe because I’m taking classes that highlight the beauty of creation, or maybe because I’ve been going through a rather intense period of realization and growth, or especially because I know my time here is very limited.  A beautiful song that describes my feelings well is “Sun” by Sleeping at Last, and I hope you can take a few minutes to reflect on these words:

With golden string
our universe was brought to life,
that we may fall in love
every time we open up our eyes.

On this day and every day, may we remember the incredible gift of creation and, more importantly, the infinite gift of our own lives.