Easter 2017

The recently ended season of Easter was quite the enjoyable experience. This time, especially, since I got to spend most of those days away from work. An eclectic bunch of memories from my past cross my mind whenever I think of my past Lents/Easters. In no specific order, I think of

1. 5-day holidays from being in a Catholic high school (Holy Thursday to Easter Monday)
2. Easter of 2014, probably the last holiday period I enjoyed before the start of my internship period. (That was an exceptionally hard year)
3. There was that one Easter in China when the church I used to go to burnt down
4. Preaching on Psalm 22 one year, only to have someone else preach a totally different (contradictory) message on the same issue a year later.
5. 2007, my first year in China, when the whole season went by without me even realizing it. 
6. 2004, Messiah College: choosing an extremely hard challenge in terms of what I gave up for Lent
7. 2004, Messiah College (redux): having one of my Kenyan colleagues concoct an April Fools' Day joke so hard it rocked the Messiah community to its core. (They were none to pleased with Kenyans for a bit there)
8. Mr. Creavey (who'd occasionally give me a lift to Elizabeth Ann Seton Church) and his sons playing trumpets during Easter Sunday mass on Patti Drennan's "Sing, O sing a jubilant song."
9. Cathy Poiesz organizing the small catholic community at Messiah for a lovely night service at a massive church in Harrisburg (possibly Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick). I remember the choir had balcony seating and sang a haunting rendition of "Remember your love"

Apparently my most vivid memories are associated with my time at school. Seems like I'm itching for the good bit of education 4 years after graduating, but that's a story for another time. Seems like all I do these days is work, and then when I get some time away from work all I want to do is de-stress. I would've loved to indulge myself in all that the season of Lent presents, but with the exception of 2016, my mind can't really be tamed enough to meditate.

I love this season, its sombre tone, the heartfelt music. It is the most appropriate season for me to contemplate "What wondrous love is this" or "God of Mercy and Compassion". Well, in any case, I can't be too hard on myself. This (religion) is more than just the seasons in which I get reminded to reinvest myself in things heavenly. It is an everyday walk that I need to apply myself to. Thank goodness I've got leave coming up in May. I need to find myself some place quiet to just put everything in perspective, and time away from the disillusionment with medicine I've had of late.

I may have barely made anything of myself this season, but I'm hoping to make something of myself starting this week. Feeling doubly blessed after that 3-day weekend (ended up being pulled into work on Good Friday), and this week my boss is at a conference overseas so I get to exercise more control over patient management. Definitely looking forward to shorter ward rounds and more time to myself. This is what dreams are made of.

God Bless.