Express yourself

I have come to the realization that I am not a pen and paper kind of person and the best way for me to express myself is to type it out.  I have been thinking a lot lately about my recent experiences and I want to share them with whoever is interested.  I know that the best way for me to formulate and articulate my thoughts is to share them with others.  If you feel like giving me advice or even talking about anything, let me know.  I've been yearning for conversation.

I haven't been doing any blogging since my Ecuador experience and it's funny to think that traveling internationally has suddenly revived my interest in this form of expression.

For those of you I haven't talked to in a while I recently took part in the Arrupe International Immersion Program at Boston College.  I traveled to Nicaragua and stayed there for a week.  I saw many things and had many powerful encounters, experiences, conversations...  This blog will hopefully give me the chance (or maybe force myself) to continue these conversations.  If I don't continue to talk about it, I fear that my memories will remain in the past, and I want to keep them alive in my heart and in my mind. 

I've been grappling with the idea of social justice (as many people do after doing Arrupe) and how it can be incorporated into my life forever.  I don't want to forget the extreme poverty that I witnessed or the unconditional love given to me by my host family.  Ultimately, I want to figure out ways that I can make change, whether it be big or small.  I understand now that change will always begin with a small step.  However, even that one small step can be very intimidating.  So, the desire to change is always on my mind, but I guess I'm still trying to figure out how that change will come about or take shape.

I fell in love with Nicaragua.  Probably one of the ideas that I fell in love with was simplicity, and how simplicity can bring so much joy.  Sometimes I think that living here in the United States can be so complicated and frivolous.  Material objects can control our lives.  In Nicaragua, I learned that lacking material possessions can actually be rewarding and it potentially leaves room for things that really matter like love, laughter, hope, faith, and meaningful conversation.

So this is all I have now.  I'm basically throwing up all the thoughts I have in my head into this post.  Whenever I think of something, I'll continue to add.

I will add a quote that has really been on my mind and I hope that it always will be:

Nothing is more practical than finding God,
that is, than Falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in Love with,
what seizes your imagination,
will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read,
who you know,
what breaks your heart
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, Stay in Love, and It Will Decide Everything.

-Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ