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<\/p>\nKristin and I both recently returned from traveling to Ireland.
\nToday I have to return to the real world and resume my activities.
\nNot sure I\u2019m ready to go back to normal from visiting
\nA land of greenfields and ancient castles.
\nDoesn\u2019t matter how I feel, it\u2019s time.<\/p>\n
We had a grand lovely experience while traveling and visiting historic sites and extended family members.
\nI\u2019m gonna write a whole post dedicated to that.
\nBut every great adventure like normal life is not without its challenges.
\nSleep deprivation and sore feet are some things that I had to deal with on this trip and in my ordinary everyday life.
\nI also had to to bring my head full of emotional baggage with me on my trip and I didn\u2019t need to check it at the airport.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The challenges don\u2019t take away from the good aspects of going overseas but provided a chance for spiritual lessons for reflection.
\nWe can either shrivel into a corner when faced with problems or use them as a chance for growth.
\nThis is not just true of this one particular section of life but of everyday occurrences.
\nAnd I want to share these challenges to clear my mind so I can concentrate and have fun with my next post.<\/p>\n
The exciting part consists of doing something unusual out of your normal routine.
\nThe nerve racking part consists of doing something unusual out of your normal routine.<\/p>\n
One of those unusual routines consists of the preparation in getting to and from your desired destination.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are the tickets?\u201d
\n\u201cWhere are the passports?\u2019
\n\u201cDid I forget something important to bring with me\u201d
\n\u201cWhat if I get kidnapped by leprechauns or the IRA?\u201d<\/p>\n
You want to make sure that you have all that you need before you go on a trip overseas.
\nBefore you die you want to make sure that you have all you need when you get to you destination.
\nAs Christians we understand that as love for the Trinity and our neighbor.
\nAs Catholics we understand that as partaking in the sacraments (communion, confession) for spiritual growth and the forgiveness of our sins.
\nWe want to be ready when we come to our destination.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
I want to paint a snapshot of where we were in life on our first trip overseas and again on our second trip.<\/p>\n
When we first went to Ireland in 2018 our daughter had recently moved out of the house in Framingham Massachusetts to go live with a guy named Sam she had recently met after going out one evening. Her boyfriend that she had convinced to come live with us about a month earlier, named Spencer, was left home to become garda of the house. That\u2019s a story for another time.<\/p>\n
6 years later Kristin and I live alone in a condo in Cranston Rhode Island. It\u2019s been at least four years since sharing space with other folks. But during our vacation we had to share space with 3 to four other people.<\/p>\n
That was both challenging and rewarding.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s challenging for me anyway, because I\u2019m so used to going to work and coming home and just isolating myself from others after spending a day working with and serving others. My brain feels on overload and has to decompress from all the stimuli running through my head. Seeing it\u2019s just me and Kristin living alone I can easily disappear after spending time with her in to my writer\u2019s cave upstairs while Kristin has her contemplative prayer space downstairs. When you live with other people you have to learn how to navigate with others who have different perspectives, temperaments, and desires about how things should be done. You can\u2019t just do what you want when you want to. You have to consider the others around you.<\/p>\n
You also have to navigate from seeking too much attention from others
\nand seeking to check out from sharing yourself with others.
\nAlways a hard balance.<\/p>\n
It is rewarding to actually have others around that you can make memories with and who you know have your back. It\u2019s also good to get out of your comfort zone and learn to live with others. It makes you realize that it\u2019s not all about you. That helps with humility and learning how to love and respect others. And when others get on your nerves and when you get on theirs, you practice the art of forgiveness and charity. It\u2019s not always easy to do, but living with others helps you sharpen those skills.<\/p>\n
When Kristin and I went to Colorado last August we decided where we went and when.
\nThis trip my in-laws were in charge and decided where we went and when.
\nIt\u2019s both a challenge and a relief not to be in charge.
\nIt\u2019s a challenge because, well let\u2019s be honest, we all like to call the shots.
\nIt\u2019s a relief to actually not have to make all the decisions about things.<\/p>\n
I work in a nursing home where people who have lived their lives now have to rely on others to take care of them.
\nIf we live long enough, that will be us in the same situation.
\nNot being in charge when your not normally used to it is a preparation for the future when you won\u2019t be in charge.
\nIt is a healthy thing.<\/p>\n
This vacation was an opportunity to get dethatched from unhealthy habits.
\nThis vacation was an opportunity to get detached from being in control.
\nThis vacation was an opportunity to get detached from just thinking about myself.
\nThis vacation was an opportunity to get detached from social media.<\/p>\n
Detachment is a purgatorial experience.
\nIn catholic theology purgatory is the anteroom of heaven where you get stripped of any earthly attachments that prevent you from being fully attached to God.
\nGoing on Vacation can help you detach from your mundane life to something different and unique.<\/p>\n
The good aspect of social media is taking pictures and sharing it with your friends on Facebook.
\nOthers get to experience your experience and don\u2019t have to wait weeks to do so.<\/p>\n
The bad aspect of social media is that it can be addicting.
\nFor me personally social media groups suck the most life out of me.
\nThese consist of political and religious groups where people share their contrary opinions about these issues.
\nWhen someone expresses an opinion that you feel is wrong you can develop a strong desire to correct them.
\nThat can lead to loads of time checking out their responses when they respond to your responses.
\nIt can involve time checking out and researching facts when you could be enjoying your time doing other things.
\nSuch as enjoying your vacation.<\/p>\n
Thankfully not having access to social media while driving in the car to different destinations was a blessing.
\nThankfully having to rely on limited access to charging my phone due to the different European electrical plugs was a blessing.<\/p>\n
When you feel a need to always correct and answer someone with contrary opinions it can suck the enjoyment out of life.<\/p>\n
These challenges took away from some of my enjoyment of my holiday.
\nIt didn\u2019t destroy it.
\nI\u2019m glad that I left home to have an experience I normally wouldn\u2019t have.
\nIt was good.<\/p>\n
It was also good that I didn\u2019t have a perfect time.
\nThere are others in this life who don\u2019t get to experience any good time at all.
\nAnd there will be a time when we have to depart this life and we will have to let go of all the good things of this world.
\nIt is best not to be too attached to things that will eventually be ripped from you.<\/p>\n
Bishop Barron quotes St.Augustine who said
\n\u201cTake in the countryside. Enjoy it. Beautiful.
\nBut don\u2019t get caught up in it.
\nYour not meant to be on this litter for the rest of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bishop Barron provides some insight into spiritual food for the journey by talking about traveling.
\nInteresting this came out while we were on our trip.<\/p>\n