Sunshine

It was one of those idyllic days that pries you from the couch and shoves you out your front door. A jog, a haircut, and a few errands later, I was sitting on a park bench beside Brooklyn's Prospect Lake. I struggled to focus on a somewhat forgetable novel (one of those that you refuse to give up on, but 300 pages in, has little hope for recovery). Distraction -- a state of mind that I've been unable to escape for quite a while. Maybe it was the perfect temperature or the unbelievably clear sky, but here it is...

I'm not going to get all pit preacher on you and claim to know exactly what God likes or wants, but if I had to take a guess, I think living a life of purpose and meaning qualifies as serving God in a positive way. Relationships between people matter. This idea I'm comfortable with -- it's the details I haven't quite figured out. I know my stint in NYC is not forever. And, I hope that uprooting my life will do more than empty my bank account. Instead, I hope it brings a change of focus from "ambition" to "contribution." "Making a difference?" Barf. Growing up. Perhaps. And, to begin to really believe that a smile, a kind word, and some compassion toward your neighbor makes waves, and you're actually helping to save the world from itself.

Amen.