So long, February

You know, if I wake up early enough, I have easily enough time to write before heading to work. I don't know if I can manage this everyday, but it is nice every once in a while.

Time not only flies when you're having fun, it flies when you're super busy at work. For the life of me I cannot figure out where February has gone. Granted, I did have a couple of short trips this month: one for work and one for play. But it really doesn't seem that long ago since Katie was here visiting Elgin and Chicago before going back to Brazil to finish her volunteer work in Campo Limpo, Sao Paulo.

Two weeks ago I went out to the Pacific Northwest for a Men's Retreat at Camp Myrtlewood. Even that doesn't seem like it happened two weeks ago. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience. I met people from so many walks of life and allowed the retreat to serve its purpose: relax and renew me. Camp director, John Jones, told me that the only thing we all have is time. He added that the most important thing concerning time is how we spend it. Throughout the weekend I spoke with lots of people on a variety of topics--each assisting me with discerning my vocation. I still have a long way to go, but I'm beginning to feel myself being drawn toward certain life choices and career paths.

As you saw in my last post, I've just reached the halfway point in my year of service. I've got just under six months until I move out of this house in Elgin and embark on another transition. Roughly half of a year left in Illinois, and the biggest thing about which I will be thinking is how I'm spending this time. I am very fortunate to work with and live with people who foster quality time alone and in community.

Just because it is almost March, it doesn't mean that Spring will be arriving anytime soon... at least not here in Chicagoland.