Change for the Good

I'm pretty sure that some will chalk up my desire to walk the Camino de Santiago as an example of a mid-life crisis.  After all, I am mid-life (actually older than mid-life, since I'm 49 now and actuarial tables say that I probably won't make it to 98), and you could say that I'm in a "crisis."  But before you jump to conclusions, let's examine how the word "crisis" is defined, as there are many interpretations for the word.  The word "crisis" is from the Greek word κρινειν (krinein) which means "to separate, decide, judge."  Merriam-Webster defines it as "an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person's life."  Dictionary.com calls it "a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, esp. for better or for worse, is determined; turning point."  So I think that crisis is an excellent word in this case.

We don't want a crisis in our loved ones' lives, and goodness knows we will do anything to avoid a crisis in our own.  The word "crisis" seems to mean an embarrassing situation for which we didn't adequately prepare or didn't have the moral backbone to withstand.  Hardly!  It's a time to critically look at our lives, where they came from, and where they're going.  While no one likes to feel unsettled, shouldn't we welcome a crisis?  Because if we handle the events well, our lives will be better than they are now.  For example, if there's a bully at school, he's not going way.  The one being bullied has to stand up to him for the situation to get better.


Often times we don't want people to change.  Let's face it, we don't want to change!  We have gotten to where we are in our lives by doing what we do, complete with our habits and routines.  We prefer the status quo.  So when someone in our life decides to change, or when events in our own life force change, we are unnerved.  Change means doing something different; it means taking a leap of faith.  That is often not a comfortable prospect.  

When we have a crisis we don't want anyone to know about it.  We fear that everyone will think that we're not as solid as we pretend to be.  Truth be told, we sometimes don't mind a crisis in the life of someone else, as that will distract others from looking at our own foibles.


So we try to defuse the crisis, do damage control, and then stuff it in the closet, where the rest of our crises lie.  As long as we can shut the door of the closet, we relax, thinking we have successfully managed the situation.  But those crises could have provided the impetus to more healthy lifestyles, to new and interesting paths in our lives, and better put our God-given talents and abilities at the service of others.


Probably no one goes out looking for a crisis, but we must always remember that if we deal with a crisis well it can mean a newness and freshness of life that can restore our hope and joy.  A crisis puts us at a crossroad -- when we have dealt with it we can better follow the right path for our ourselves.


Dealing with a crisis means using the wisdom that God has given, to see from where we've come and where we're going.  To see what we've done well and to rejoice; to see what we've done poorly and to make improvements.  It means discerning where we can really leave our mark, and how we can best use the time that we have remaining.  It means avoiding the brambles that have ensnared us and following the path to which we've been called.


Don't fear your crises: they are God's wake-up calls to fuller service.


So thank God for this time in my life; also, be thankful that I'm going on the Camino de Santiago and not buying a sports car for this "mid-life crisis!"


-Joseph


P.S.: Let's check our closets today; they may need to be cleaned out!

Walking Instead of Driving

In preparation for making the Camino de Santiago, I am trying to walk as much as possible.  Then when I start on the pilgrimage, it will be easier.


I'm working at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.  Getting there means a mile walk to the bus stop, then a 15-minute drive to the Metro, and finally a 40-minute subway ride (transferring from the orange to the red line).  Getting back home means reversing the process.  So it's approximately 90-minutes of travel each way (including roughly three miles of walking).

Normally, one would say, why not just drive?  But besides the need to train for the Camino, I can see so much more by walking.  There's no doubt that we can get more accomplished by driving everywhere and completing many errands.  But often that just leaves us frustrated, anxious and tired.  Walking changes the perspective.  There's no doubt that we'll get less done, but we'll have more satisfaction, and the sense of being tired will be a wholly natural feeling, one that puts our minds and bodies in sync.

But there are other hidden pleasures with walking.  Besides the great feeling that comes from exercise (and this type of exercise doesn't require using a dreaded elliptical machine at a health club) are the wonderful smells that accompany the walker.   There's nothing like the smell of a fall morning, or the aroma of a fire burning in a nearby fireplace in the evening.  It's hard to beat getting into a warm train after standing on a freezing Metro platform.  And there's nothing like returning to a warm home (usually around 7:35 pm) after being out in the cold.

There's no doubt that you'll get less done by walking instead of driving -- but you'll see, feel, hear and experience more!