Spirituality for Beginners

Fr. Bede's almost-daily reflections. When it comes to the spiritual life, we're all beginners. I also send these out by email. Contact me at bcamera@anselm.edu. God bless!





Thursday, May 31, 2012

We are all gifted

If you don't know anything about the theory of "multiple intelligences," you might want to google it to find out more. Basically what it says is that there are many different ways to be intelligent (or gifted) and these ways might not necessarily be the ways that are identified in traditional education.

I offer two quotes worth pondering in this respect.

The first is from Albert Einstein (whom people thought was unintelligent because he didn't start speaking at a young age).  "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life by believing that it is stupid."

The second quote is from a student writing her teacher after she became aware of the theory of mulitiple intellences and how it helped her appreciate her boyfriend in a new way:


The gist of the note (I'm quoting from a source I've since forgotten) stated that she was in a relationship with a young man whom her friends and family constantly demeaned because they perceived him as beneath her intellectual level and as "just a dumb jock." The message went on further to say that as a result of learning about Multiple Intelligence Theory she had begun to look into her boyfriend's strengths in new ways.

Due to my exposure to the multiple intelligences, I have found out that he is very smart in many ways that I am not. He's quiet and knows how to really listen to people, is especially good at working with kids, and often sees beyond people's obvious exteriors. He can fix anything! Obviously, he's good at sports, but he also knows who is, what he's good at, and what he wants to do with his life. He also has lots of common sense! My family and friends are wrong! Thanks for helping me see that he is intelligent in many ways.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

MYSTERY

From the writings of Charles Dickens:
"A wonderful fact to reflecct upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other." 
It's too bad so many of us (and probably all of us sometimes) forget that and fail to pay honor and reverence to the mystery of each other. And there are always some who think they have others "all figured out." What a travesty.

The quote, by the way, comes from "A Tale of Two Cities."


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Peace of mind (and of soul)

From Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence (DeCaussade):
Why are we so skillful in tormenting ourselves beforehand with what will possibly never happen? Sufficient for the day be the evil thereof! Anxious forethought does us much harm; why then do we indulge in it so readily?

We are the enemies of our own peace of mind.