Walking, Softball, and Memories

I love walking through our neighborhood, especially on days like today. People are out taking care of their lawn, kids are out playing, the smell of a charcoal grill is in the air. I love it. I even walked past a fast-pitch softball game going on at the park across the street and I was drawn to it like I never thought I would be. Except for the fact that softball brings back such wonderful memories of my dad, I never thought I'd be interested in taking it up again. Yet as I watched, I wanted nothing more than to be on that mound throwing curves and change-ups. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be different if I'd pursued softball in college. I know I wouldn't have met Jason, or at least not in the same way, because if I'd become part of a college softball team, I'm sure I wouldn't have transferred to UWM after one year. I don't regret not pursuing it, but sometimes I feel bad about how much time and money my parents spent on my softball "career" growing up and then I just quit after my senior year of high school.

Anyway ......... back to my walks. Since there are so many people out and about lately with this weather, I've noticed lots of people that have one characteristic or another that reminds me of my dad. And it's so weird, because although I often think of memories with my dad from the past, I rarely picture him as if he's physically here in front of me today. So seeing these people and imagining that it's my dad right here is so ... amazing to think about ... and strange, too ...
(Picture taken from http://pubpages.unh.edu/~agreene/assign4-2.html)

Interruptions

Lately I've noticed that I've become the type of person who interrupts people when they're talking. I don't mean to do it, I just ... somehow ... do. That's terrible! That's the kind of thing you're supposed to get better at as you age, not the other way around. I used to be much quieter in general (whether others were talking or not), so maybe I'm making up for lost time (ha!), but I'm not sure why this has suddenly become acceptable to me. Sorry to those whose words I've carelessly talked over.

On a brighter note, Jason and I are going to Orlando soon! Our 5-year anniversary is in June, so we wanted to take a vacation to celebrate and we landed on Florida. Too bad it's not smack dab in the middle of winter so we can enjoy a break from the cold, but at least it's off-peak season so it shouldn't be too crowded. I'm so excited!!! Yay :)

Quotes on Prayer

Sadly, I'm still reading the same book on Prayer that I began months ago. Came across this the other night and it really resonated with me. Yancey says when communicating with God, "Forget past failures, forget recurring sins, forget feelings of inferiority, and instead open your mind to God, who cannot fill what has not been emptied."

--How often do I turn to prayer when there are a million things on my mind, and those things are still there after I say Amen?--

Yancey also quoted Herbert McCabe regarding "distractions" during prayer: "This is nearly always due to praying for something you do not really much want; you just think it would be proper and respectable and "religious" to want it ... And so your prayer is rapidly invaded by distractions arising from what you really do want - promotion at work, say ... When you are praying for what you really want you will not be distracted. People on sinking ships do not complain of distractions during their prayer."

Huh ... Quite interesting, I must say ...

WHAT'S UP WITH JURY DUTY

Ok, I'm all about doing my civic duty and I understand it is a privilege in this country to participate in democratic institutions such as this. But c'mon already. I've been summoned for the THIRD time and I just turned 27! What are the chances? I was summoned when I was 20, then again when I was 25 (this time in California, where we lived for just one year - one year, and I somehow get picked), and now again a mere two years later. It's just a hassle to deal with getting off work, going downtown amidst all this construction, finding (and paying for) parking or else figuring out the whole bus system, and not knowing how long a given trial will take assuming I'm selected. I actually don't mind being a juror, but I think it's time to give some other people a chance to be good citizens ...