Growth


The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.
--Mortimer Adler

In some areas of our lives we are right on target. Our level of maturity is exactly as it should be, and we are going through the stages that people of our age ought to be going through. In other areas, this is not so. We are complex people, irregular, uneven. In all of us there are areas fixated in some emotional ice age, areas that have not felt the freeing warmth of the sun.

We cannot expect ourselves to move forward all at once. Not only is it okay to move slowly - it's often the only way it can be. Confusion, conflict, or pain may have caused us to let our memories or feelings be frozen safely away. This has been a long process, and we can allow ourselves more time to heal. The task now is not to deny or hide from these changes, but to have confidence that the healing warmth of the program will reflect on all areas of our lives and help make us whole.

I am thankful I am given both time and patience in which to continue my growth.
From: Days of Healing, Days of Joy by Earnie Larsen and Carol Larsen Hegarty



Last night I joined my sponsor and her family for dinner, games and Stations of the Cross.

Dinner was enjoyable. I got to meet and talk to one of the daughter-in-laws. I like Lorie. She's pretty cool.

Marian got out her Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? game and what I discovered is that at times I might be and at others I am not. I think I have wonderful short term memory and when I was in school I used it more than my long term memory. In other words I memorized things just long enough to do okay on tests and then I forgot them.

Her son showed up toward the end of the game and threw me off. I was doing well until he showed up. He confuses me and I think he takes great pleasure in doing so.

The Stations are humbling. You don't hear all that historical background in other denominations. No one speaks of what went on. Until the Passion that Mel Gibson did a few years back the seriousness of Christ's death was not put into real perspective for me. I think we take things for granted in today's society. It's a shame.

I've now completed my lesson plans for the two observations that are coming up next week, done two errands with Mom and Barry, finished two loads of laundry, taken garbage off, and cleaned out the truck a little. I think I'm going to take a nap before I have to go out again.

As I sat down and began thinking about some things going on in my life a song sprang to mind. As I looked at the topics that I was thinking about the lyrics made a lot of sense.

Drift Away

As sung by Uncle Kracker

Day after day I'm more confused
Yet I look for the light
Through the pourin' rain
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
And I'm feeling the strain
Ain't it a shame

Chorus
Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll
And drift away
[repeat]

Beginning to think that I'm wasting time
I don't understand the things I do
The world outside looks so unkind
Now I'm counting on you
To carry me through

Chorus

And when my mind is free
You know a melody can move me
And when I'm feeling blue
The guitar's coming through to soothe me

Thanks for the joy that you're given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
Your rythm and rhyme and harmony
You've helped me along
Makin' me strong

Chorus

Na, na, now won't ya
Won't ya take, oh ha ..take me