A Decade of Blogging

It is plainly obvious that I've not been very diligent when it comes to posting. Part of this is due to the fact that I've been busy: in addition to an intensive French course I took this summer, I also continued to play Irish music most weekends and nearly every Monday night. What time is spent on those pursuits, however, eat away at the time that'd be available for writing. Hence the dearth of postings. 

A second, and perhaps more pressing issue, has kept me quiet as well. Over the past year, I have come to question the value of blogging. This blog began ten years ago when I entered the Society of Jesus and I found that it was a helpful means of letting friends and family know what was happening in my life. Over time, I've made forays into spiritual writing, addressing various topics of interest, and humor. If one were to read through the blog's archives, it'd be hard not to detect a great shift in style and tone. 

This blog has traced, in a sense, my "growing up" in the Jesuits. From those early posts complaining about the novitiate coffee to more recent posts about the sexual abuse crisis, the arc of my vocation has been digitally preserved. 

I admit that it's hard to find a zest for posting. As much as I'd like to court controversy, I've always been intentional about at least making an attempt to take a centrist position on most issues. I'm not an angry blogger who decries perceived slights - whether real or imaginary - and my tendency is to share what's on my mind or in my heart. Yet these risks are not easy to take: one needn't poke too far around on the internet to find how malicious people can be when responding to posts. I have a pretty thick skin and I'm more than willing to go toe-to-toe with another person, but my stomach turns when it comes to anonymous bullying. 

I haven't any idea what will happen come September. As I prepare for ordination to the diaconate and the priesthood, and begin a PhD program, I'd like to think I'd find time for writing. Then again, I may be so swept up by the semester's demands that the blog falls further and further from my mind. Simply put: I have no idea if there'll be another decade of blogging, or even another month. I'm waiting to see. 

That said, I should get back to my retreat. I feel a bit guilty using the internet to post but I did want to update the blog before it went too cold. I'm grateful to have these days for prayer and recollection - please keep me in your prayers and be assured that I'll keep those who have walked on this Jesuit's Journey in mine!