Last week’s column served as a “pictureless postcard” from my annual summer vacation. This week I am doing the same thing as I am on my second week of vacation. I will return to the parish on Friday night, and in the meantime I am still relaxing and recreating. (Of course, this note was written before I left on vacation. So if I get rich by panning for gold while in California, I won’t be able to tell you until I get back.)
Last week I mentioned that my vacations are generally filled with activity. But I usually save time for quiet relaxation while I am away. One way I do that is by visiting family. Since I was planning on going out west on my trip, I decided to see if I could get my sister in Provo, Utah to invite me to stay with her for a few days. Fortunately, Barb kind of likes me, so she happily agreed to let me visit. And the time I spend in Utah will be much quieter and move at a much slower pace than my time in California.
That is not to say that Barb is not planning some fun things for me. For one thing, she knows my obsession with baseball. And while she does not share my excitement at a good ballgame, she provides opportunities for me to see the games. In the language of those who counsel people with addictions, Barb is an “enabler” for my baseball addiction. Last time I visited her, I saw minor league games in Orem and Salt Lake City. Moreover, she contacted a friend who knew a man in the neighborhood and arranged for me to visit. I spent a fascinating afternoon visiting with former Pirates legend Vernon Law, hero of the 1960 World Champion Pirates, listening to his baseball recollections. I even got a picture of myself with Law in which I was wearing his 1960 World Series ring. (He made sure I gave it back to him before I left.) Other times we have just taken walks or gone to the movies.
I don’t know what activities Barb has in store for me this trip, but I know it will be good to be with family. We don’t get together often enough, and it is good to visit and to enjoy one another’s company.
I realize that the purpose of this column is to keep you informed about parish life or to say something spiritual to help inspire you to follow Christ more closely. I usually try to find some spiritual point in describing my vacation in this forum. Today I will simply draw the analogy of taking time out of our busy schedule to visit with family and to share one another’s interests. God is like that with us. He is not watching over us like a taskmaster, trying to get us to do more or to work harder. Rather, He invites us to take time out of our busy schedules and to relax in His presence. He wants to share what we find important in this world that He created for us, and He wants to share with us His hopes and desires for us.
So please pray that I may have a relaxing and fun vacation and that I may return safely. I will see you next weekend.
Father H
