Photo Friday: Blue

The lady in blue, herself.

Photo Friday: Black and White

A medley of black and white . . .

Meet Vince

Meet Vince. 

My roommate, Alicia, and I met Vince while studying one rainy afternoon at the local Starbucks. He has become a dear friend.

He was enjoying his regular one-shot of espresso with cream with a mystery novel in hand. 

"What are you two young ladies reading?" asked he. 

"We are reading 'Augustine's Confessions'" answered we. 

"My name is Maddie," said I. 

"And I am Alicia," said she.

"What a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Vince."

And thus began the mark of a great friendship for the three. 

Wednesday at 4:00 was our weekly meeting time at Starbucks. 

We were treated to good conversation concerning studies, books, politics, and our favorite - many good stories from Vince.


Midway through the semester, our dear friend, Stephanie, joined in our friendship with Vince. I am so glad she was also able to share in the blessings offered through his friendship.

Meet Lucie.

She is Vince's dog. Lucie is also our friend. 

Vince grew up on the Jersey shore. 

One day in April, we spent a day on the beach with Vince.

        

Meet Bill. He is one of Vince's good friends.
They spent many of their younger days life-guarding on the shore together.
We heard many of their escapades and adventures as lifeguards over a lovely lunch at the Jersey Shore Diner.

Hanging in the diner is a picture of Vince in his younger days as a lifeguard.

I'm sure he would still be up for the job. 

Though he may not realize it, our friendship with Vince has taught us a great many lessons.
"Slow down. Listen. Embrace the present," echoes in my mind.
What a great blessing it has also been to escape the ceaseless company of 18 to 22 year olds for an hour each week. This is perhaps one of the best remedies for the all consuming "me me me" mantra that plays over and over again in our daily lives.


My unending to-do lists and the relentless calling of all that needs to be attended to; my books, my papers, my projects, my studying, my deadlines. The meals I must eat, the workouts I must complete, my bills, my expenses; the order and cleanliness of my room, my dishes and laundry.


The chaos and bustle that constructs our world. Yet in this chaotic world, only the self is attended, for that is all that is required.
For how easy it is to forget that a world exists beyond our own until we open ourselves to it.
Thank you, Vince, for opening a window to a new world for us. 

Photo Friday - "White"

Light

Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, that's been our unifying cry, "More light."  Sunlight.  Torchlight.  Candlelight.  Neon, incandescent lights that banish the darkness from our caves to illuminate our roads, the insides of our refrigerators.  Big floods for the night games at Soldier's Field.  Little tiny flashlights for those books we read under the covers when we're supposed to be asleep.  Light is more than watts and footcandles.  Light is metaphor.  Light is knowledge, light is life, light is light.  

~Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

Light. Light that breaks through; light that shines on its own. Inescapable, unrefined, and real. 

Even still, the beauty of this light can be misused, spurned and turned from. It can be directed away from the purpose it pursues. 

What is light? Light gives light to the darkness, it illumines and enlightens, it prompts life-giving energy, I say.

Yet, what is to be said for when the light continues, but these essential qualities of its nature no longer persist?

Light. Light that does not give light to the darkness. Light that does not illumine. Light that does not give way to life.  Light used only to precipitate darkness and death. Light becomes  utility - acting toward an end which is against its nature. 

(i.e. - The lights used to illumine the evil deeds of the Holocaust)

Light. Light that is in keeping with the purpose it pursues. Light that illumines, enlightens, and gives way to life. Life that is radiant, incandescent, and transcendent. Light that blinds only to give sight to that which is robustly beautiful. 

Light that not only shines for its own sake but for the sake of another. Light that consumes impurity. Light that cannot be fully understood or grasped, but that lights a path to the greater journey at hand. This, my friends, is light - pure and unadulterated light.

Light that is all consuming, light that purifies and refines.

Let us look with our inner eyes at this great spectacle, our nature, which dwells for all eternity with the immaterial fire of the divinity. And let us take off the coats of skins (cf Gen. 3:21), the earthy and carnal ways of thinking, in which we were clothed because of our transgression, and stand on holy ground (cf Exod. 3:5), each one of us hallowing our own ground by means of virtue and reaching up to God. In this way we shall have boldness when God comes in light, and as we run to Him we shall be enlightened, and, once illumined, shall live for ever to the glory of the one brightness in three Suns, now and for ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. 

~St. Gregory Palamas - Homily 35

First Official Summer Entry

The first few Summer posts will be "catch up posts" - photos and such from over the course of the semester that have stacked up.

Catch up post #1: Washington D.C. Trip