Life and its Gift

There's something palpable that's hard to ignore about March 16.  For me, it's a day totally unlike the 364 (or 365) days of the calendar year.  Starting from the customary morning phone call in which my Abuela sings me "Las Mananitas", it's a day filled with gifts and special greetings from people.  I think especially of what this day means for my parents.  Indeed, no matter how old I get, my Mom's excitement cannot be contained as she gets transported back to that Saturday morning in March 1991 when she knew the time had come for my entry into the world.  Ever since then, my birthday on March 16 has left such a strong impression on her that she gets excited about the celebration as soon as it's March 1.  I've heard plenty of people say that they don't do much to celebrate their birthday.  For me, there's almost something I palpably feel inside me that will not allow me to ignore that there's something different about this day, and, again, my Mom won't let me forget it.

This year is particularly notable, because this afternoon, at 1:15 PM CDT, adjusted for DST, I conclude my 20s and enter my 30s.

My birthday brings back a wash of fond memories of celebrations over the years.  I think about a birthday I had when I was very young, when my family came into my bedroom as I was still getting up and presented me gifts.  I recall bringing treats to call during elementary school.  I think about the parties I've had at home when I invited friends over, which included a Magic Tree House theme in 3rd grade, flying kits in Rehm Park in 4th grade, and taking friends to restaurants like the Rainforest Cafe, Ed Debevic's, Suparossa Pizza, and Connie's Pizza.  When I turned 13, there were two other people in my 1st period science class with Mr. Vincenti at Julian Middle School who also turned 13 on March 16, 2004, which made it a particularly exciting start to that class with an exuberant singing of "Happy Birthday".  During my first year of college, my church friends Dan and Ann still went out of their way to celebrate, even as they were in the midst of a trying situation as Ann's mom was in declining health.  Later that same day, a friend was so eager to celebrate me, he bought cake and balloons to my accommodations.  In succeeding years, Ann was always delighted to bake a white cake with frosting for my birthday.

During my third year of high school, my birthday fell on Palm Sunday.  My birthday also falls in close proximity to the Feast of St. Patrick, and a couple of times, I went to see the Chicago River dyed green on my birthday, and how fitting it was to be in the city where I was born.  I've also had quite the range of weather on my birthday, from snow and a cold high of 39, to 80s, and varying degrees of spring-like weather in between.

No matter what happens, it remains a special day, and certainly Mom of all people won't let me forget it.  There's something to be said for how she gets excited about me with the same excitement when I was born, but with each year, the added delight of actually seeing who I have become.

Perhaps her feelings about this day speak to the deeper meaning.  It was a joyful day for her, Dad, and so many others because I came into the world as a gift of God that blessed them.  They all, in turn, have been a blessing of God to me, and just as all the people who have come into my life in these past 30 years have been God's blessing to me.

Transitioning from my 20s to my 30s causes me to think about all that's happened over the past decade of my life.  I graduated with two advanced degrees.  I contributed significantly to my community, working at the Oak Park Public Library and serving as an election judge. I've visited the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans multiple times.  I've crisscrossed the country on Amtrak trains, and I even learned to operate a train engine.  I've stood in the presence of history in places like Independence Hall and the birth home of Pastor Martin Luther King, Jr., and marveled at the awesome beauty of nature at places like the Grand Canyon.  Among the famous people I've met include Pat Quinn, Bruce Rauner, Rebecca Pallmeyer, Tom Skilling, Louis Uccellini, and Ashley Bratcher.  I also came within 15 feet of Pope Francis while participating in World Youth Day.  I've reflected much on these experiences and more on my blog, which I started in the earlier part of the decade of my 20s, right after my ValpU graduation.

My 20s was a time when I came to truly embrace and act on my deeper calling in life, to give of myself to others, which I first came to discern while in college.  And in no other context have I given of myself so fully as with teaching my Religious Education students, leading them to encounters with God, and helping them grow in relationship with Him.  They have absolutely been an important part of my 20s, and I'm so delighted that we have class scheduled today so that I can begin my 30s with them, exercising that same spirit of self-giving that has marked my 20s.

The students in class this year are part of a group of nearly 200 students who I've had in class over the course of 8 years of teaching.  They have taught me in such a profound way what it means to be a gift in blessing to others, which manifests the very Presence of God.

Indeed, while our classes are scheduled in chronos time for an hour on Tuesday evenings, what we experience in class is Kairos time, which, in the context of faith, is about critical moments when we encounter God and are transformed by discovering Him anew.

It is those Kairos moments that bring meaning to chronos time.  While we can't see God visibly, we know Him through the people around us.  I am so blessed by the many people who have filled my life, who have revealed something about God to me, and they make March 16 a day for great celebration every year.

So as I roll along, now fresh in my 30s, I marvel at the journey of life I've had so far.  I marvel at how God reveals Himself, the gifts He has given me, the gift I am to others, and how they are a gift to me.

On the floor inside Union Station, in the area leading to the train terminals, is an enlarged image of a clock, just like those that appear throughout the station.  This image captured my attention because it displays the year of my birth.  Union Station has served as a focal point for amazing experiences of trips throughout the United States.  And so this image serves as a fitting symbol for how I marvel at what has happened to me in the journey of life.