The Spiritual Toolbox

Hello friends,

My post this week is a bittersweet one.  I am sitting here in my office on what is my last day as the Director of Religious Education at the Catholic Center at the University of Georgia.  As some of you know, I have decided to end this chapter of my life here in Athens, Georgia, and start a new chapter back in my hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana.  While I am very excited for the journey ahead, I can not help but pause and reflect over my time in Athens and look at the path and events that have led me to this point.  

The image of a toolbox is one that helps my reflection on these last few years.  As a young man, I have faced the reality of having to find my niche in adulthood while still maintaining the childhood joy and energy that allows me to view the world for the good.  As I have come to open my eyes and my heart to others over the last few years, I realize that this is both challenging and tiring but very necessary.  This is where the toolbox comes in to play.  If the purpose of a toolbox is to store instruments used to build, destroy, mend, or break, then I challenge myself to stock of what tools are in my toolbox.  Do I have more tools conducive to building and mending things than destroying or breaking?  I believe I do now.  Looking back over my years in Athens, I have acquired many new tools for my box that I firmly believe will help me in my work in the near and distant future.  When I realized that my spiritual toolbox had become quite full in Athens, I decided that the timing was right for me to move on to my next life project.

Please remember, though, that the tools we acquire in life do not always come from positive experiences.  Often we must struggle with life in order to gain a perspective or energy toward life that will then transform us into better spiritual carpenters if you will.  However, whether the positive or negative, each life experience provides us with a valuable tool that equips us to do good work wherever our next life project lies.

As I conclude my final post from Athens, I'd like to thank all of those who have shared their spiritual tools with me over the years:  my colleagues in the Clarke County School District, thank you; my training mates in the Athens running community, thank you; and of course, my family at the Catholic Center at UGA, thank you!!  For those of you reading this, please I hope you will take some time to look into your life's toolbox.  Get rid of those instruments of division (I've heard that the wedge is the devil's favorite tool), and increase the your instruments of unity.  By doing this we will all build up the city of God in which we are proud to live each day.

Rather than my usual closing sentiment, I'll leave you with the words of St. Julian of Norwich which were some of the first words that I learned form my very dear friend, Fr. Tom Vigliotta, ofm, five years ago:

All shall be well and all shall be well. In every manner of things, all shall be well.

If we use our tools for good, these words will echo true for years to come.

peace