Happiness is
having a child lay his face upon your chest for comfort, in complete trust, wholly
at ease. This was my baby fix for the day, along with the incomprehensible but
utterly delightful conversation I had with my 14-month-old charge, Ian. I have
been babysitting the last three Saturdays after a busy morning of teaching and
it’s been refreshing, albeit tiring. It has also been a great way to spend time
with some of my community sisters with whom I shared baby-sitting duties.
I am quite thankful now that I am not a mother for it is such a huge responsibility and I no longer have the required energy, although I know I would have made an excellent one (a tad psychotic at times but wonderful nonetheless), and I feel very blessed that I have been given many opportunities in life to play at being one. From youngest brother, to young cousins, to cousin’s kids, to godchildren, and now, my community’s kiddies, I have enjoyed every moment of changing nappies, feeding, burping, entertaining and just watching them grow.
I never thought I would end up single without children but it no longer is the tragedy it was for in giving Jesus carte blanche with my life, I have managed to live out my vocation. I was created for marriage and motherhood and being a childless, single woman has not cramped my style at all. These last 12 years (since I articulated my vocation) have been unconventional but fulfilling, and have brought me many indelibly happy moments.
At today’s confirmation mass in Saint Teresa’s, Archbishop Goh spoke about the importance of finding meaning in life which comes mostly from serving others, as Jesus did. His other takeaway messages were the necessity of having a personal experience of God in order to be able to witness authentically and with conviction, and the beauty of Pentecost which is the powerful renewal of the Spirit that was gifted to us in baptism.
The Holy Spirit is our panacea to the sorry state of the world we find ourselves in currently for it is the Spirit of God that can renew the face of the earth, transforming hearts and lives. The Spirit within us is what animates and enriches our beings, steering us to lead extraordinary lives filled with mundane, tedious, day-to-day tasks.
Pentecost is a reminder to all Christians that living in the Spirit is the only way to true happiness for when we are guided by Him in all things, then we will somehow be living the dream, the dream that was placed in our hearts even before we were born.
Service does require commitment and sacrifice, but if we enter into service with intent, grasping the meaning of what we do, even the most mind-numbingly thankless chore can be elevated into something with the touch of the divine. Those who serve will gain more than those who are being served. Those who serve will be blessed beyond measure.
I can testify to this for baby Ian gave me a priceless gift today. Thank you, C and S, for entrusting your child to me. Ian gave me a personal encounter with God, God who said I love and trust you completely. Won’t you love and trust me completely, too?
I am quite thankful now that I am not a mother for it is such a huge responsibility and I no longer have the required energy, although I know I would have made an excellent one (a tad psychotic at times but wonderful nonetheless), and I feel very blessed that I have been given many opportunities in life to play at being one. From youngest brother, to young cousins, to cousin’s kids, to godchildren, and now, my community’s kiddies, I have enjoyed every moment of changing nappies, feeding, burping, entertaining and just watching them grow.
I never thought I would end up single without children but it no longer is the tragedy it was for in giving Jesus carte blanche with my life, I have managed to live out my vocation. I was created for marriage and motherhood and being a childless, single woman has not cramped my style at all. These last 12 years (since I articulated my vocation) have been unconventional but fulfilling, and have brought me many indelibly happy moments.
At today’s confirmation mass in Saint Teresa’s, Archbishop Goh spoke about the importance of finding meaning in life which comes mostly from serving others, as Jesus did. His other takeaway messages were the necessity of having a personal experience of God in order to be able to witness authentically and with conviction, and the beauty of Pentecost which is the powerful renewal of the Spirit that was gifted to us in baptism.
The Holy Spirit is our panacea to the sorry state of the world we find ourselves in currently for it is the Spirit of God that can renew the face of the earth, transforming hearts and lives. The Spirit within us is what animates and enriches our beings, steering us to lead extraordinary lives filled with mundane, tedious, day-to-day tasks.
Pentecost is a reminder to all Christians that living in the Spirit is the only way to true happiness for when we are guided by Him in all things, then we will somehow be living the dream, the dream that was placed in our hearts even before we were born.
Service does require commitment and sacrifice, but if we enter into service with intent, grasping the meaning of what we do, even the most mind-numbingly thankless chore can be elevated into something with the touch of the divine. Those who serve will gain more than those who are being served. Those who serve will be blessed beyond measure.
I can testify to this for baby Ian gave me a priceless gift today. Thank you, C and S, for entrusting your child to me. Ian gave me a personal encounter with God, God who said I love and trust you completely. Won’t you love and trust me completely, too?
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