I'm not really into the royal wedding. I'm sure I'll see it tomorrow morning because my wife Angela will watch it. I was watching a picture of Westminster Abbey on the news this morning and it brought back memories. I did my doctorate at Durham in the north, so I went to London every time I flew in and out of the country for those three years.
Like most of life looking back, those were wonderful days, despite their challenges. Seeing Westminster cued my first real visit to England to interview for a position as a residential tutor (RD) at St. John's College in Durham. On my way back I walked from the Tower of London all the way to Buckingham Palace in an afternoon. Back then, my first time in a city like that imprinted the city on my young 26 year old brain. The setting this morning of Westminster brought back vivid memories.
It was a great time of life. I was in grad school, so all I had to worry about was what God thought about issues, not what ye old scallywags out there thought (you know who you are ;-). I was in another country, which brought the stimulation of thinking about the world in completely new ways and seeing my country from the outside. I was around experts the likes of which many could not even imagine. It was the privilege of feeling stupid every day.
So be young if you are young. Soak up life and the unprecedented opportunities of youth.
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3 comments:
Whenever we don't feel "stupid" at times, means we need to move to another place, where we can "grow". (Of course, that depends also on what you value, too. Loyalty or Truth....)
Isn't that what makes America great, as we can have our differences, and commitments, but still be loyal Americans?!
The difference to me, is whether one commits to "tradition/text (literary scholarship, cultural studies)", "tradition/experience" (Church history/"minstry"), "reason/tradition (tradition of religions and philosophy of religion)", or "experience/reason (pscyhological/neurological research)". All of these are needed in today's world of multi-cultural and religious "war". The Founding Fathers tried to prevent such wars with their formation of our government and its checks and balances....
These thoughts make me take stock in the time Sarah and I have spent here in Manchester. I am already missing our time here, and we are not gone yet. It is nice to here that as time grows between this time, we will think fondly on this time. I am changed by this time here. I hope it will stick and I will not go back to the way I was.
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