Freedom & Fun

I went for a hike with two Catholic friends the other day. We laughed a lot and had a great time. At one point, one of them remarked, "It's great being Catholic because we always have the most fun." I couldn't help but agree.

This got me thinking. Why is this? Why is it that Catholics always seem to have the most fun?

I think it's because we try to stay steadfast to true freedom. What does it mean to be free? Well, Saint JPII once put it splendidly in his message to the UN (1995): 

"Freedom is the measure of man's dignity and greatness. Living the freedom sought by individuals and peoples is a great challenge to man's spiritual growth and to the moral vitality of nations. The basic question which we must all face today is the responsible use of freedom, in both its personal and social dimensions. Our reflection must turn then to the question of the moral structure of freedom, which is the inner architecture of the culture of freedom. 

Freedom is not simply the absence of tyranny or oppression. Nor is freedom a licence to do whatever we like. Freedom has an inner "logic" which distinguishes it and ennobles it: freedom is ordered to the truth, and is fulfilled in man's quest for truth and in man's living in the truth. Detached from the truth about the human person, freedom deteriorates into license in the lives of individuals, and, in political life, it becomes the caprice of the most powerful and the arrogance of power. Far from being a limitation upon freedom or a threat to it, reference to the truth about the human person — a truth universally knowable through the moral law written on the hearts of all — is, in fact, the guarantor of freedom's future."

When freedom is used responsibly, when it is ordered to truth and logic, one is happy. Adhering to this kind of true freedom that we are called to is difficult, for our secular society's definition of freedom can be quite different. Their freedom has limitations, and its expressions of fun can therefore be short lived. Many would scoff at me for saying that practicing Catholics have more fun than most, because we believe in sin and have to follow all those "strict rules." No, we aren't supposed to get wasted, sleep around, do whatever we want, but this is because participating in these actions ends up taking away our freedom: we become slaves to our disordered habits. Therefore, true freedom of self comes not from doing what we want, but remaining steadfast to goodness; only in goodness and truth will we be happy. If Catholics follow their calling to lead better lives, to follow the freedom of truth, then they will be awash with God's grace. And through this grace, they will experience a happiness beyond anything they can hope for.

Because of this, when happy Catholics get together with like-minded people, they know how to have true, pure FUN.

Image via Pinterest

(P.S. I do know that all Catholics, including myself, can fall to habits and vices which can put a damper on their fun. Generally, though, I think it's safe to say that Catholics who are striving to follow the teachings of the Church as well as those people outside the visible Church who try to follow their consciences and natural law, are able to have authentic fun and happiness!)

May Musings

FEELING BLESSED...

Because... I got into nursing!!! I had actually been waitlisted for this upcoming fall, but just found out that a spot opened up for me. I've been walking (dancing?) on air the past few days. Nursing has been my dream for years, and it is finally becoming reality. God is so good. SO wonderfully good.

ENJOYING...

This beautiful spring weather.  I am done with winter. I've been going on many walks with my dog lately - the sunshine and abundance of flowers are glorious.

READING...

Finally! It's been so long since I've had the time to read like I do at the moment. I've just begun Edmund Campion by Evelyn Waugh. I'm also re-reading Anne of Green Gables. I find that every so often I get this desire to read L.M. Montgomery. Her books are just so... comforting.

DISCOVERING...

So many new things. I've met such interesting people the past few months and they've all made a profound impact on me, all in different ways. I seem to go through this dramatic change every so often, where my view of the world just changes... for the better, usually. And I just begin to see things in a new, different light. It's quite amazing actually. (I'll say it again - God is good.)

THANKFUL FOR...

My family. I'm realizing I only have so many more months left at home before I move into dorms, and I want to cherish this time we're having together. It's also the last summer my sister will be living at home (...see below!)
Also, I'm feeling truly thankful for this gap year I've been taking. I was quite hesitant to do it at first, but it really has been a wonderful year of growth.

EXCITED FOR...

My sister's wedding! Yes, my older sister, my only sibling, is engaged!!! I am so incredibly excited for her and her fiance. They will be married this December.

Spring Colour

Winter Robin Redbreast

Clouded with snow

The cold winds blow,

And shrill on leafless bough

The robin with its burning breast
Alone sings now.

- Walter de la Mare -

Confessions of a Bibliophile

Bibliophile - n. a lover of books; one who loves to read, admire, and collect books.

"She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live." Annie Dillard

I get wonderful books to read every year on Christmas and on my birthday. Last month I was given a wonderful assortment of G.K. Chesterton, Evelyn Waugh, and George Macdonald. Tenderly I placed them on the to-read stack on my bookshelf. I treat all my books, especially the newest additions to my collection, with love and care. There's something special about adding a newly obtained book to my shelf, and then standing back and admiring how good it looks there. Admiring my bookshelf is one of my guilty pleasures, to be honest.

I am especially proud of the top section of my bookshelf, which houses all of which I call my beautiful books. They really are beautiful. They're the second hand, gorgeously bound, heavenly smelling, beautifully written, old classic books that I am in love with. Some of them, such as ones by Dickens, I have a hard time getting through so I haven't actually fully read them... but they sit there anyways because they're so nice to look at.

I have a matching collection of seven Jane Austen novels I love. I bought them all for literally $2.65. Yes, you read that right. I had been studying in the little library of an island where my Oma owns a cabin, and there was a woman there getting the place ready for a book sale. She said I was free to look around even though the sale hadn't started yet. I found the Austen set, and was saddened to see I only had $2.65 in change on me. The kind lady took pity on me and said I could have the set for this amount, for the book sale was by donation, anyway. Happily (and a little guiltily) I skipped off with these beautiful seven books in my arms. They now sit on display on a piece of driftwood I screwed to the wall - it makes a neat wall decoration, I think.

I currently have a job as a library page, which in almost every way is boring, except for the fact that my knowledge of authors and titles has grown substantially, not to mention I get to take home free books to keep. This is because I get first dibs on all of the old library books and donations that the library is selling, and as part of staff, there are special privileges such as not having to pay for these books. I don't know if this is actually a thing, but a librarian gave me permission and said that all the staff does it, so I'm just going with it. So yes, my job (which usually consists of just shelving books) is very boring, but I absolutely love it because of the free books!

One of my favourite bookstores is one that happens to be just down the road from me. Owned by a retired man, he has set up his old garage into the most wonderful little space crammed full of used books. He sits there with his feet up on his desk, spectacles on the end of his nose, and piles of books teetering around his head, with the classical radio station playing softly in the background. (I hope you just pictured that in your head, because it is a wonderful scene). He used to price books at $1-3 a book, but has now raised his prices to $2-4. I'm not complaining, they're still great deals. I tend to avoid going here, though, because I always end up with so many books that he has to give me a box to carry them in.

However, it's because of these wonderful old bookstores and the privileges of my job that I have a bit of a problem on my hands. I take home far more books than I possibly have time to read. And I am completely out of room on my bookshelf. I don't know what I'm going to do.

If you're curious... here is my reading list for the next twenty books I plan on reading (not necessarily in order, and also not including various religious books which I always try to have on the go).

That Hideous Strength - C.S. Lewis
The Abolition of Man - C.S. Lewis
Crusade of Tears - C.D. Baker
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - A.C. Doyle
Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
The Dearest and the Best - Leslie Thomas
The Freedom of Jenny - Julie Burtinshaw
The Scarlet Letter - N. Hawthorne
Some Sunny Day - Annie Groves
Emma - Jane Austen
Helena - Evelyn Waugh
Edmund Campion - Evelyn Waugh
The Secret Garden - F. H. Burnett
Manalive - G.K. Chesterton
The Innocence of Father Brown - G.K. Chesterton
The Man Who Was Thursday - G.K. Chesterton
The Book of Negroes - Lawrence Hill
The Host - Stephenie Meyer
A Walk to Remember - Nicholas Sparks
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

happiness

It's been a wonderful Christmas and New Years. Absolutely, insanely busy - but still wonderful. Full of laughs and dancing, friends and family, toasts and good food. I'm ready to sit back and reflect back on my past year, to discern where I grew and where I fell; somewhere in a beautiful place of nature where all is quiet except for the calls of birds and soft sounds of the wind through trees. Rosary in hand, I will pray that I will continue along my personal path to God, a path I hope to continue treading along for this new year and forever after.

I am completely and utterly happy right now. Perhaps it's the sunshine. Perhaps it's God's grace flooding my soul. Perhaps a little of both? All I know is - today is a wonderful day. God is good.

I haven't felt such happiness in a while. I have been happy, but I haven't been this happy. I am a prism flying in a sunny room, iridescent colours shimmering and reaching even the darkest corners. An effortless, vibrant happiness.

I'm finding it hard to describe this in words... I so desperately want to share with you all how good life is right now. Because life is indeed good. I pray that if, reading this, you are having trouble relating to my words, you will eventually be able to. All of us have ups and downs in our lives and faith journeys. Making it through these difficult valleys is what strengthens us to climb even further up the mountains. Even if it doesn't seem like it now, life will get better. Just hold on. Christ will bless you for your faith. 

A blessed Christmas and a happy New Year to all you lovely people!