This crazy life.

So, I promised to return sooner rather than later, but it seems like I tended toward later once again. For the Lenten season, I pledged to set aside time each morning for prayer and writing (I also gave up the microwave - quite a sacrifice), so I expected that I'd have some new thoughts to share with you all but... it seems I'm rather empty-headed? The academic life can make me feel a bit burnt-out at times, so my reflective moments have come to be characterized much more by meditation and quietness than by any sort of creation. It's the one part of the day when I have actually focused on listening, rather than expressing... which is good for personal development, bad for blogging.

But, let's move on. What's new since we last spoke? Since I don't know who you are, I'm not really sure... but I'll focus on the basics.

I'm back in Boston. I spent about month home in California for winter break, and went back for a family-oriented weekend trip recently, but in general, I'm digging life in Bean-town. Winter is currently making its first substantial appearance, and its kind of magical. I mean, it's cold and sort of nasty, but great nonetheless.

I changed my major. Officially. In the second semester of my junior year. Hmm. I was International Studies/English, now I'm Theology/English. Not much has changed, but I'm now definitely writing a theology thesis. Still need to figure out the details on that one. Fast.

Still don't know what I'm doing next summer... waiting to hear back from the various internships for which I've applied. Current top choices are West Bank or Washington D.C. Back-up plan: spend eight weeks in a random city on Boston College's dime and intern at a non-existent organization. We'll see.

A glimpse at my daily life: I woke up this morning at 5:30, showered, and started/finished a paper for my History of the English Language class. I now know an awful lot about the word pomegranate. Spent like an hour trying to figure out the meaning of this Middle English phrase: "Hendeliche sche to hem spac,/A poumgarnet þer sche brak/& spices dede sche calle." What is my life?

My life is miraculous, actually. On Wednesday, I spent seven hours in the oldest building on campus, which was rather miserable, but in a glorious way (just wait.) I was sitting on the second floor, inappropriately daydreaming through a theology class, watching the snow float through through air outside, dancing to its own unknown rhythm, settling into a divine mystery over the campus. What a blessed moment, a blessed life. I get to sit in a beautiful old building, the wondrous winter swirling around me, and just learn. Sit and talk and learn. I get to stay up all night writing papers and reading and procrastinating and discussing and learning. It's an incredible gift.

One last note before I head back into the real world: whoever you are, if you pray, please pray now for one of my fellow classmates. Franco Garcia has been missing for over a week now. By the time you read this, his story may be resolved in one way or another but no matter what happens, prayer will be necessary. I sat in a church last night with his friends and family and people, like me, who don't know him at all, praying and witnessing the uncertainty with which his loved ones are struggling, the conflict between fear and hope. Pray. Thank you.