Liminal Space

Liminal Space. Well right now I feel I am in between places i’m not here nor there. I’m not sure where I am. I feel I am not sure who I am. It is definitely an empty feeling. Most transitions are not easy. I’m really not sure what to expect to happen to me this year. Novitiate is a time to go deep into ones self to see God in themselves and where does that lead one.  I feel my motto for the year is going to be one day at a time. I hope I can go deeper each day into my inner being and see what inside me is really saying. This is and has already been tough for me.

I helped out again at the Polish pilgrimage. Once again I think I gained 5 pounds over 2 days. They feed you all the time. The say, “Don’t be shy eat some more”. After I already had 4 plates of food. Then when you leave they say take food with you. You might get hungry on the way home I’m thinking I am stuffed and it is only a 2 hour drive. I’m pretty sure I won’t starve. But food is love for the Polish culture. It blew me away last year at how many people participate. Old people walking 18 miles. It is incredible. It is nostalgic. It is there history, religion, culture, it is apart of who they are as polish to do this pilgrimage. It is very important to the people.  I feel proud to have polish routes and be apart of it.

I also went to Irish fest again this year. Learned a little bit of Gaelic. Drank some Irish beer and did some Celtic dancing. Great music.

I have been riding my bike a lot and have been swimming in Lake Michigan. Not sure how healthy the water is but I heard the e-coli level is down right now. So why not swim while it is still warm.  I have a lot of time for reading this year. I am already taking advantage of the time. Some one said to me the other day. “Wow it must be nice to have a whole year to really spend time and go deep to learn who you are”. That is a true it is a gift and yet having this much time to think can be scary. I definitely feel I have time to think about anything and everything and to be honest it is scary. I’m used to being very active and doing things. It is hard. Some days I do feel I am wasting my talents and skills. That I should be doing something with my life and not sit here contemplating. Am I on the threshold of transformation?

 The night of entrance with the Superior General from Brazil. Wearing a Nigerian outfit instead of a habit

 This is the novice class for this year.

 Over 6000 people for the Polish pilgrimage

Lake Michigan at Sand dunes National Beach in Indiana

Road trip with Parents

Well I spent four days in Salt Lake City visiting my buddy Paul and Noah. Paul and I went Atving and I accidently drove it of the side of the mountain trying to climb a rock pile and then hitting the gas. Luckily a big boulder stopped it from going all the way down the mountain. I was very lucky. Not sure how we would have gotten his ATV back. We also spent time playing 9 holes of golf then batting cages. Noah and I went for a bike ride up emigration Canyon, which really kicked my butt. We also went for a hike to the chair, which is above Utah University and overlooks Salt Lake City. The next day we went and saw USA vs. Cuba in a gold cup match. USA dominated. My parents picked me up and we headed to Jackson Wyoming. It is a very pretty drive. Even better was the next day driving through the Grand Teton National Park and Yellow stone. We did drive to Jackson Hole and rode the air tram to the top of the Mountain, which has an incredible view. I would like to go back to the Tetons and spend some time camping there.

We took a full tour of Yellow stone and drove the entire loop. That night we spent in Cody Wyoming, which is named after Buffalo Bill Cody. Another famous person buried there is Jeremiah Liver eating Johnson. From there we headed to Devil’s Tower and then to Deadwood South Dakota where we met my cousin Jake. Deadwood is a fun old western town where Wild Bill was shot and killed.  The following day we headed to Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and to Mammoth site. There are the mammoth site is an active dig site where there are over 50 Colombian Mammoths are buried. They are bigger than wooly mammoths. One can volunteer there and help dig up the bones. From there we said good-bye to Jake and headed to Rapid City South Dakota. The next day we headed to the badlands. The badlands are sacred ground to the Native American people. We drove across South Dakota, which isn’t terrible. I can think of one or two worse drives. From there we went to Pipestone, which is sacred ground. It is where the Lakota people harvest this stone that is red called pipestone to make their Chaupa wakan or peace pipe. It is sacred rock. From there we headed back to Inver Grove Heights Minnesota.

 Jake and I at Mount Rushmore

 The air tram that goes to the top of Jackson Hole

 At Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming

 This is Jenny lake in Grand Teton National Parkl

 Old Faithful which erupts every 90 minutes

 This is at mammoth site in South Dakota. Colombian Mammoth in the Background