Many years ago I made a self-commitment that I would 1) Read any book that someone recommended to me (be it fiction, nonfiction, even an article), and 2) Read the book from cover to cover. Currently, I am limited to the books in my library, but I am able to receive books directly shipped from Amazon to me, as long as they are the softcover version. If you have a recommended book, I'd be happy to check the library first, then, I could put the book on a Christmas wish list.
While I'm not going to lurk on feedback on books that I have read, I did just finish the two that I started last week: Origin and Medjugorje: The Message. Origin is a typical Dan Brown book, which was pretty good, which peaked my interest in the Guggenheim Museum in Barcelona and some other tourist sites. I have never been to Barcelona, so this will certainly be on my bucket list of places to visit. The other book that I really struggled to finish because of my judgment of the inauthentically clad ego of the author is Medjugorje, which I does not make my bucket list. I would rather visit other Marian sites, but for some reason this bored my interest in Medjugorje.
I chose Medjugorje because I went to seminary with some guys who were quite fanatical about the "apparitions" that would transpire for years among a small group of visionaries. While the miracles associated with this experience are interesting, even the messages received by the visionaries, I just found the substance of the book to be Medjugorje to be singularly focused on the author's insights. It is a challenge not to have some inherit bias or opinion on a book, and some covers may not be as attractive. Yet, the contents of a book potentially transcend the pages to make a genuine connection with the human psyche. Whether good or bad, a powerful book transfixes the mind to delve deeper into itself to learn, grow, and gather inspiration. A book like Medjugorje does that for me, just by title and the mystical aspects of faith intertwined with current affairs and documented miracles.
Like the two books that I read, I had the privilege of connecting with many guys over the past week. At face value, many of them might look rough, unkept, and even sinister. One such in mate of smaller stature, scraggly goatee, and some poorly designed tattoos lining his arms and hands has a bunk near me. We have not interacted prior to today but did find ourselves walking in sync heading to dinner. As we walked past a round furry white cat, he commented, "She's pregnant." I was amazed he knew, since she just looked like a fattened cat to me. He then persisted to extend sentiment for her safety and for the birth of the kittens in winter months: "It would be cruel if we could not take care of her and the kittens. They shouldn't just be left to freeze." It was quite a serious and sincere conversation. And while doing laundry, my laundry with my identifying information ironed on it, mysteriously vanished off the dryer while I ran to grab a drink of water. I told my bunk mate about the occurrence, and he just handed me an extra one that he had. Charitable action permeates these halls.
These little moments are numerous and continuous...and are quite humbling to experience, especially when I subtly judge a book by its cover. Simple gestures of kindness, helpfulness, and generosity has been amazing to witness within a facility that has perceptions of quite the opposite affects. Being the first day of Advent, I was able to attend Mass (smaller crowd of 11 guys since the weather was beautifully distracting), which offered an opportunity to connect with other Catholics here. Not being the most liturgically savvy men, the entire Advent candle was lit with pursuit of trying to figure out why the pink candle was disrupting the three other purple ones. Thankfully I was able to remedy the situation 😛