Good Bye Good Stop, and Hello Next Stop.

In the past year, I think I've said so many good byes that I'm beginning to notice them! And the crazy thing is, I really don't want to say good byes. One of my favorite St. Peter moments is on the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elijah came to see our Blessed Lord. And dear St. Peter said to our Blessed Lord, "why don't we make three tents, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for You." Of course, our good Peter did not know what he was talking about. But he knows as well as any others, a good friend's stay, not to mention when the Law and Prophets came to stay, what joyous occasion!

Many things has happened in the past few months since the new year, and I'm sure many more will happen, and amidst all God's guiding hand is upon us. Whether we get to hang out with our friends tomorrow, or whether that program you're working on at work is going to be finished. Or even how it might be so quiet and lonely when everybody leaves for vacation in far away or fun places. All is in God's hands. All we can do is to do what we can today, enjoy today, live today, to the fullest of our strength -- even if you have to live it in tears, enjoy it -- 'cause tomorrow come and it be gone.

I think through separation, distance, and the unknown, God teaches us to treasure those moments of intimacy, gatherings, and the constant. To treasure, but not to linger on. Most definitely not intoxicated and fallen asleep at the stop, even if it is a Good Stop. Fr. Bob Scott used to say every semester, a homily call the Good Stop. I think my new lesson to is that when we finally reached the end of the stop, we have to be resolve and ready to say Good Bye to our friends at the Good Stop. To walk down literally that path leading to the next stop -- the next step into life. We are a people living in temperance. Can't have chocolate all the time, but when we do, we savor it -- but we do not splurge nor binge. Same thing with friendship and relationships. Although we all wonder what the Communion of the Saints is like when we finally have passed into the next life, I think we can get glimpses of it here on earth when we hang out with our friends. It is of course, so much more awesome in heaven.

I think I've had a lot of lesson on saying Good Bye this year so far. And the chimney on the train have just whistled the departing tone. I await for the vehicle to once again visit this place where all of us are together again. Some of you I might not see for a very long time, have a good trip and enjoy, I'll see you around. But for those I'll be seeing and possibly bugging for the next while, well, I'll see you then.

I'm rambling. My point being though, I feel like God has given me so much good byes in this first half of the year, and so much moments of closeness and moments of distance, so much struggles, and so much peace of mind, so much pain and yet so much comfort, so much unknown yet so much constant presence. In transit, I await for tomorrow and the next Good Stop. This time, I will bring my camera and my beads. It will be a good time -- in God's time.

Si Dios Quiere Mis Hermanos, ...Si Dios Quiere.

p.s. I was not going to write this entry, hence of my obvious rambling state of mind. But after reading Reuben's Adventure in Mexico entry, I felt drawn to finally write these thoughts down. After such a long time since my last posting. Well, hopefully I ain't confused too many of ya'll yet.


TMH