Unexpected Leisure

A few co-workers and I went to an educational opportunity at our diocesan center. We got through the morning not really learning much. The speaker had a lot of good things to say, but his thoughts were like a plate of spaghetti. Each strand of thought twisted and tangled with another before it shot off onto another strand. We went to Mass and ate lunch, and we wanted to give the afternoon a chance to start with a new and fresh mind.

We started that afternoon session, and this speaker and his lesson was not resonating with any of us. We made a joint decision to leave a few hours early so that we could go to National Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux in Darien.

I have been wanting to check out this shrine for some time, but never found the time during this chaotic school year to drive south for an afternoon of quiet and reflection. A day that started out as bland and stagnant ended in a pleasant surprise of silence, reflection, and comradery with co-workers.