A few days ago, I was driving home after a work conference, and I was about a block from the house.
I was in a rush because I had a 6:30 Zoom call with students. Without any delays, I would be able to park my car, run into the house, and get to my home office just in time for the call.
However, as I drove down the street to my house, a neighbor was taking his time backing up his huge white F150. There were several cars in the driveway, which meant he needed to get the perfect alignment.
While traveling to San Jose, Costa Rica, I decided to attend the Saturday Mass at San Rafael Arcángel Catholic Church. I was flying home on Sunday, which would make it difficult to arrive in San Antonio on time for church, so the Saturday option worked out great.
Fr. Henry had a terrific homily focused on accepting God. He mentioned that it did not matter why we had turned our backs to God in the past. He was clear we all had a chance on this day to make the right choice.
He said, “The time is now!”
When speaking to a friend from church recently, our discussion turned toward relationships. In her full-time work as a Spiritual Director, she mentioned that marriages are beautiful both in the beginning and in the end. However, she said … “The middle can be messy!”
As we continued our conversation, she made a comment that resonated with me even outside of marriage: “The key is working through the mess.”
Growing up in a migrant family in Uvalde, Texas, I’m careful with how I spend money. Whenever possible, I save first and spend later. A psychologist once told me this mindset is probably because I am afraid of going back to the days when our family needed government assistance to survive.
There is probably something to this clinical assessment, but there are likely other factors to consider as well.
While attending a business conference, I heard R.C. Buford, CEO of the San Antonio Spurs, make the following comment when discussing the important topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):
“I’ve learned so much in the past few years about how I can be a strong leader. As a white man, I have my own experiences, and they are unique. An important takeaway for me is that I cannot be an effective leader by taking polarizing viewpoints. I must consider situations based on how people who are different from me are affected when something happens.”
There is a lot to unpack here, so let’s get started …
Earlier this year, a colleague recommended me to the Masters Leadership Program of San Antonio (MLPSA). This is different from a graduate-level degree at a university.
Instead, a cohort of about 53 students participate in 12 full-day events related to various industries such as Education, Biomedical & Healthcare, Arts & Environment, Military Impact, and Technology.
The end is celebrated with a graduation in April 2023!
While hanging out with some of my Brothers in Christ, one of them, Stan, talked about the toll alcohol addiction has had on his life.
“Brothers, there were times when I was so drunk that I ended up in a different city. I woke up the next day in my car, and I have no idea how I got from place A to B!”
A few days ago, I connected through Houston Bush as I made my way to my next destination. I’ve noticed recently that airports are now back to pre-pandemic traffic. In fact, they seem even busier.
As I began my 12-minute walk to the gate, I observed a motorized cart parked right in the middle of the concourse, and several elderly people were comfortably sitting on it.
During a LOVESTRONG Marriage retreat, Fr. Eric of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church shared a terrific talk related to the Sacrament of Marriage to more than 70 couples in attendance.
One point he made that hit home with me was the following: “For a marriage to happen, we must first experience a death.”
I was captivated because I did not know where he was going with the story.
But it quickly made sense when he stated the following …
“The death that must happen is that of the ego we bring to the marriage.”
A few weeks ago, my wife and I purchased two tickets to a Holy Spirit Knights of Columbus dinner and wine event scheduled for a Saturday night in mid-October. This event serves a great purpose, as all the proceeds help other ministries, charities, and even provide scholarships.
After buying the tickets online, I realized this was going to be the last weekend in October we could spend as a family, as my wife and I are leading the LOVESTRONG Marriage retreat at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, and the next day she is heading to Venezuela to visit her parents.
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