Reading to Reflection
to Responding

It is time to get back the basics: Reading, Reflection and Respond. I read a lot these days but it is mostly stuff on the computer, sometimes newspaper and magazines but not much of real books, fiction or nonfiction. There is nothing better than a good book, like the book I am trying to read now, Howard Zinn’s “People History of the USA” to get in depth knowledge of a subject. With fiction it is a delight to exercise the imagination. What takes away from the time I used to read? TV and Internet takes a big hunk of time. Now for a break during the day I do not take time to read but turn on the TV looking for the least objectionable news or sports reporting. My wife, Pat, a librarian reads a lot and really enjoys it although she works full time and likes her selective entertainment TV shows.

Reflection, be it prayer, repetitive words, using the senses of imagination, or just plain emptying the mind of thoughts is needed more these days than ever before. We are in an information and entertainment driven society and there is too much crowding our brain that leaves us open to tension and insensitivity. Everyone seems to understand the importance of reflection but it hard to practice in our fast paced society. Perhaps this need for reflection is what draws me to gardening. It seems like when I am working outside, like today, my mind, body and spirit focus on the task on happen and my awareness grows.

I am slowing learning with age how important it is to respond not to react. Some people choose to ignore things they do not want to know, as of ignoring them will make them go away. Some, like I often did and still am labeled by some, react. I had gotten away from reacting and tried hard to respond with opinion, research or history. But for some it does not matter if I respond than react, they still want to put me in the react box. I need to learn to live with this stereotype and come back peacefully responding. I find it hard, especially when I see a clear injustice, not to react but by restricting situations I put myself in, am improving in responding. I used to joke about being rejected and when working with youth even took on the rap name of ‘reject’. By living a life as reject and not reacting is something St. Ignatius of Loyola tells us in his Spiritual Exercise is something to desire and pray for. I am not sure if I am there yet but at least I am getting better.

Reading parts of a book each day rather than overloading with information, slowing down enough to take time to reflect and responding, not reacting to what life bring us are the three r’s that I need these days.

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