Deep Breath and Prayer

The world is full of all kinds of sayings like these. Inspirational, motivational, encouraging, life changing, affirming, and so on. Yup, you can find just about any saying to take you from one mood to another, to support an emotion, possibly even to solve the big question of world peace. The world revolves a little smoother due to these little gems of gear lube. For the most part, I enjoy them. I have used them, said them, posted them, shared them. And then there are days when I want to take them, print them off, tape them to the tree in my back yard, and shoot at them with my BB gun until they are no longer readable. There is this one that we always had at church. The infamous Jesus quote (that actually was quoted by Mae West, not Jesus), "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." I have hated that one for years. I always found it a little condescending. When you were busting your tail, trying to just survive and you needed encouragement, to have som...

During the many years as EIU as a student and employee, I would often go and sit on the steps of McAfee Gym and write in my journal. It was the perfect spot to get some sun and watch people as they came by. Often, among the thoughts and feelings, there would be descriptions of the people coming by - how they appeared, if they seemed happy or sad, walking or running (or some falling down). There was plenty to see and experience. I remember how, during those years I was gone from EIU, some of the landscape had changed in that view. The shift from the upper to lower quad had new steps as well as a ramp, the west side of the Union had been renovated. Even though it was different, it was still a great place to sit, view, feel, and record. Part of the building reconstruction we had here a few years ago included a new ramp to the basement. Quite the cool achievement from the steep death trap that existed before. The new one is graded nicely and is even heated to keep from icing over in the wi...