A Place in Time

 These past few days have felt quite stressful and hectic. So now that I seem to be back to where I need to be (in terms of school assignments) and organizing my thought processes, blogging came to mind! And what better, more relaxing way than to write about a coffee shop. :) A few weeks ago, when I met up with a contact at a Peets coffee shop, while waiting for her and her sister, I typed in my phone, memories of this place. 

As I typed, I wrote down:

Studying English CBEST:

In the summer of 2019 after gratefully and willingly quitting my job, I started to open the books and focus on something academic and create goals for myself! In some ways, it was exciting and refreshing to have an open schedule and study. I would frequently go to the library, Starbucks as well as my favorite Peets to get immersed in reviewing and learning for this CBEST test.

Time with Susie:

That same summer, Susie and I had some time here and when she was going through a difficult time. She was doing her schoolwork and sipping on something, and I was either studying or trying to enjoy the time with reading or writing. I recall this memory because although we were in very different phases of our journey, we were there together, in a coffee shop, on a warm day and savoring that unique time. 

Rainy day with Santiago and Mom:

On a drizzling day in May, my mom and I had some ideas to take sweet little Santiago whom we were babysitting while my dear sister and brother-in-law were packing up to move. I remember something about quickly going into Half Price Books, and then to Peets. I also remember we didn't stay too long because it was difficult to entertain him in a small coffee shop. But I savor that time, while the rain was falling, I was writing thank you notes, and maybe looking at an Etriean cookbook I got from Half Price Books. And Santiago got some love and attention with onlookers in the cafe. :)

Sister day November 2020:

Thus was a beautiful, but challenging, raw time for me personally. The season of Fall was beautiful, but I felt a big void in my heart and life of something more I should do. My sisters were visiting for Santiago's 2nd birthday party, and Susie was home for a visit after moving out. We had some good conversations, and nice beverages. If I look back at a photo of this time, I can remember exactly what I was thinking and feeling. And I remember I loved French names, as I was getting into writing my story. I had just applied to the MLIS program.

Time with Elisabeth September 2020:

This was also a beautiful and unique time! We were just entering Fall season and creating up lists in our heads to continue to stay inspired, motivated and energized amidst the ordinary while sipping on our cappuccinos. Later on, we each made our own Fall lists. This was the start of a challenging time, but these memories of sister time made it lighter and enjoyable. In the afternoon, we swung Santiago around in the background with a sprinkler and enjoyed the Fall lighting. 

Runs, walks past here:

There were many spring, fall, and summer evenings where I would run nearby to a park and then pass this Peets on the corner, reveling in those memories and thinking of coffee and inspiration being brewed. I recall Susie and I in this area on one of her last weeks before moving, and we enjoyed our summer run/walk in the twilight.

I didn't mention a date with a guy at this same location a couple years ago, but my memories of that have since dispersed into nothing significant, but just a simple, very distant memory. 

And I smile, since these are the favorite memories that come to mind. Although its just a place, a location, it carries with it experiences, moments in time that reveal something more. 

Easter Flowers

 This week, the first week of the Easter season was beautiful, glorious, busy. I wanted to keep attentive to this joyful, and full of hope and light season. One of the easiest things to do was attend daily Mass to keep the readings in my mind and heart throughout the day. I had learned that each of these Octave holy days was like the first day of Easter! I thought it would be a good idea to think and start planning for Divine Mercy Sunday by rereading St. Maria Faustina's diary and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. 

Something about waking up in the early morning was special, and to savor that time before the sun comes up. Listening to the Bible in a Year Podcast, prayer cards to St. Josemaria and Father Joseph, it's a precious time to start the day even if its quick before getting ready and having breakfast. 

Walking passed these lovely white flowers every day on way to work, now in bloom make me think of hope and Easter joy, as well as Ignacio Rafael. They showcase spring and it makes me smile.

The busyness of this week has been due to planning ahead for assignments, staying on top of work and being attentive to what's ahead. I know I'm feeling ready to close out this semester with all the demands, and a lot of things going on to make it far away from boring. I feel like I've learned and grown a lot in small and big ways!

Before and after my exercise class, I notice these beautiful and rich in color and bloom red roses. Another lovely reminder of Easter joy in flowers, and my dear God son and nephew, Ignacio in the heavenly resurrection. Memories come back of my volunteering days here when I would water the plants with the extra pitchers of water the Senior citizens didn't use. 

When I would go to the library this week, I would still get inspired with books, ideas though I didn't have much time to think about it with the other more important 'to do's'. But still being in that space, that environment was helpful in making me feel studious and productive. I could feel like there was a sense of 'push', of continuing to keep on going after the workday to do some more work. But it felt rewarding, knowing it was a time well spent. 

This Easter season is so beautiful! But it feels full, with my brother's wedding next weekend, and May feeling somewhat full of family things and closing out the school year and semester! This time of year is precious, and one if my favorites. :)

Easter Vigil

 

Last night, I went to the Easter Vigil. It's the eve of Easter Sunday and it's the holiest feast, where we welcome the new Catholics into the church who are receiving their sacraments for the first time. I had never been before, but this year, I decided I wanted to go and make extra time to attend. It's a longer service, around 2 in a half hours. 

I can see more clearly why Easter is the biggest, the greatest, the most joyful feast day in the church. (It is also the longest season- 50 days!) Attending the Easter Vigil really showcased that. Its the excitement and anticipation of Christ rising from the dead, the first time singing and proclaiming 'ALLELUIA' and having beautiful flowers and decorations, mostly white and yellow gold to symbolize Christ's triumph over and his Resurrection for us. 

I really loved the symbolism and the powerful witness of declaring our faith and being a shining light to those who were coming into the church. This was when everyone in the church was holding a candle (and the church was packed), and then with all the lights out in the church, we had our candles lit. The big, tall Easter candle was processed in, and other smaller candles were ignited from there. The other priests walking down the aisle shared their flame with the first person in each pew, who passed on their flame to be lit by another's candle. It was really quite amazing to witness and experience! Eventually, we extinguished our candles and all the lights in the church were turned back on. 

I decided to wear my medal of St. Maria Goretti, my confirmation saint. It was there in that same church that I received the sacrament of Confirmation 13 years ago. In support and commemoration of those catechumens who were entering into the church as a catholic for the first time, I wanted to remember my own confirmation. 

 I am learning more and more that this is one of my favorite liturgical seasons! How bright, joyous and full of hope it is! Without the Resurrection, our faith is meaningless. He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed! Happy Easter!!

Good Friday Reflections

 "The mystery of the spiritual life is that Jesus desires to meet us in the seclusion of our own heart, to make his love known to us there, to free us from our own fears, and to make our own deepest self-known to us. In the privacy of our heart, therefore, we can learn not only to know Jesus, but through Jesus to know ourselves as well." -The Only Necessary Thing

"God is saying, 'I want to be weak so you can love me. What better way to help you respond to my love than becoming weak so you can care for me?' God becomes a stumbling God who falls at the cross, who dies for us, and who is totally in need of love. God does this so that we can get close.

The God who loves us is a God who becomes vulnerable dependent in the manger and dependent on the cross, a God who basically is saying, 'Are you there for me?' In a very mysterious way, God is dependent on us. God is saying, 'I want to be vulnerable; I need your love. I have a desire for your affirmation of my love."

"My child, pay attention to what I am telling you, listen carefully to my words; do not let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all humanity. More than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life. Turn your back on the mouth that misleads, keep your distance from lips that deceive. Let your eyes be fixed ahead, your gaze be straight before you. Let the path you tread be level and all your ways be firm. Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot clear of evil." -Proverbs 4:19-27

"How lovingly Jesus embraces the wood which is to bring him to death! In the dark loneliness of the Passion, Our Lady offers her Son a comforting balm of tenderness, of union, of faithfulness; a 'yes' to the divine will. 

Hand in hand with Mary, you and I also want to console Jesus, by accepting always and in everything the will of his Father, of our Father. In the whole context of the Passion, this help does not add up to very much. But, for Jesus, a smile, a word, a gesture or a little bit of love is enough for him to pour out his grace bountifully on the soul of his friend. 

At times the cross appears without our looking for it: It is Christ who is seeking us out. But this suffering is our purification; the sweat and the blood which disfigure and tarnish his features, serve to cleanse us. To our falling again and again into evil, Jesus responds with his determination to redeem us, with an abundance of forgiveness. And so that no one may despair, again he wearily raises himself, embracing the cross."

A Library Week

 This week is National Library Week, and I didn't even think of it with all of the times I've been to the library these past couple days. It's been a much-needed breakthrough spring break, with a change of scenery, change of pace and some more time and space for thoughts, reading, sleeping. On our mini day trip, my mom and I ventured into Fremont's library. I could tell it was a big library on the outside with 2 stories, but it wasn't the nicest or most updated library. Walking in, I could feel from its layout, walls and extra space, an old school vibe. 

There was a plethora of space for books, books and much more books in rows reminding me of my college library that was also musty and rustic. I wasn't too inspired with the overall look and layout, but the various options for seating was nice. And it was cool to see an old mini poster of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) which is exactly what I am learning now in my program. 

The library yesterday was nice and crisp in the late morning and retrieving more books for Link + pickup is always a joy and an inspiration. Funny, I had requested a Matthew Kelly book and the same one I had found for free while scanning through the little free library in the sandwich shop on Wednesday. And that cookbook, Sirocco reminds me of cooking and inspiration way back in 2017. Those memories made me want to check it out again. And The Shadow of the Bear, by Regina Doman reminds me of my oldest sister who had gifted me with one of Doman's books for my 16th birthday. Somehow in my open moments at work, I had researched her again and was compelled to read this Catholic author's Fairy Tale retold stories again. 

On Saturday, I just wanted to relax and look through a cooking magazine, write down a few delicious recipes for the future and read, write and dabble into language studies- Arabic! I just started a new notebook (my 3rd), and I decided it would be the olive-green notebook from my dear sister for my birthday last year. Something reminded me of the date as I was writing, it seemed so familiar. Sure enough, when I looked back at my first notebook for Arabic studies, I had started learning on April 2, 2016, exactly 6 years. Wow!

And I will be going to a library again today, though a different one than yesterday. It feels like the best place to do focused work, schoolwork and usually a great option - similar to a cafe to get ideas, some inspiration and quality reading time in. And this week, it all started talking to a librarian, a contact and friend of my sweet sister, whose Bridal Shower it was on Sunday. And just a number of weeks left until this semester is over and I can process more all that I've learned and been challenged by!