On the joys of living a quarter century...

This past week I turned 25. My distance from the joyous days of college can create some dissonance in me, especially given the fractured nature of community, the difficulty of finding new friends post college, and the tension I live in as a resident in a new city. Yet I find it helpful to reflect upon a few things that make simply being alive beautiful and worthwhile.

I recently moved to the city of Fresno to pursue new ministry opportunities serving the students at Fresno City College, a large urban commuter campus with a demographic makeup as diverse and beautiful as the city it draws its student population from. The student community I've found is incredibly loving, supportive, and even helped provide transportation when my beloved pickup Guillermo was in the shop for repairs. Additionally, they are for the most part committed to the apostolic vision of InterVarsity, which means we seek God's transformation of students, faculty, and the campus. Although campus ministry is a world unto itself with challenges that would strain anyone emotionally, I've found this community of students a joy to work with. It's a wonderful environment that inspires me; I consider serving them an honor of the highest privilege.

I've begun volunteering at a neighborhood after-school program. It's called Wise Old Owl, and it's a weekly commitment that I've undertaken that allows me to be more in touch with the needs of the community itself. It takes place in the Lowell neighborhood, an area of concentrated poverty. We're working with mostly elementary-age children, and working on building basic skills, with a special focus on reading and vocabulary. So far I made the mistake of taking up one kid's challenge to play me in tetherball, which resulted in my glasses flying from my face and the sneers of one kid gloating at me from victory. I also got to help one kid, Carlos, read all about the physiological makeup of the brain, an organ that he calls "disgusting" and yet still holds his interest. The program hopes to provide strong tutor-child relationships that are based on mutual respect and upheld by standards that build character in these individual children. I look forward to the fruit of this program, both for the sake of the children, but also in myself.

I've taken my physical health seriously for the past several months, and I intend to keep healthy rhythms in place that support my body and mind together. I recently joined a gym and continue to challenge myself to run consistently and burn calories. This activity helps me feel energized and integrated, especially when the spiritual nature of my work bleeds over into the realm of my emotions. Any anxiety I feel can get processed through the physicality of my workout, and this means that I emerge more mentally integrated, less stressed, and overall healthier than resorting to less wholesome coping mechanisms.

I continue to cherish the opportunity to celebrate life each new day. As I pray using the Liturgy of the Hours, I'm reminded that each day holds promise and I can expect the Lord to be present in each and every moment. When I forget this, I slip into lethargy and ennui; when I remember, I remain close to the heart of the God who loves me. Such language is far from childish or sentimental; it is the clearest expression of my deepest desires: unity with my creator.

So join with me as I celebrate a quarter century of life. So far, I've seen my share of suffering and joy. Through it all I know that God is still good, life is still worth living, and is best experienced when shared. So thanks for sharing this journey with me, companion on the journey. May we meet as happy pilgrims along the road and further along in this journey.