Day 40/365
I could write a million words about my decision to be a monk, to give my life away for God, but for the purposes of this reflection today, I'm going to just focus on, once again, perspective. Whether you choose to read it right now or read it at some point later, I encourage you to open Robert Frost's short poem, The Road Not Taken. Here's one link for it. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you could click this link to watch me read the poem (it only takes a minute and a half)!
Later this month, I'll reflect more on that day 21 years ago when I joined the religious life, and became "Brother Sean", but for today, I'd just like to talk a bit about the choice I had before me.
Two roads diverged in front of me back in 1993. One was the choice to live the life I'm pretty much living now, and the other was to instead give my life over to God through service to the church. It meant taking the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. It meant giving up any opportunities I might otherwise have in life for a career as a writer, a love life with another human being, a house of my own, and so on.
The roads in front of me were both incredibly different, but the one with the grass growing on it? The one that wanted wear? It called to me. Like, literally. Everything in me just knew with 100% confidence that God was calling me to the religious life. Just like Mr. Frost, I had a knowing about which path I would take. And I likewise believed I'd never come back to that other path...which really...I didn't!
That's because when I eventually left the religious life four years and three weeks after joining, I didn't find myself back at that same place where the roads diverged. Instead, I was now on a whole new path further up ahead. The decision of which road to take four years earlier was now four years behind me in the yellow wood. New paths were now diverging in front of me, patiently awaiting my imminent decision, just as they still are every day of my life, and every day of your life too.
When I look back at the forest of life experiences behind me, I don't regret answering God's calling, and I'm grateful for the way my time as a monk changed me. It truly did change me forever, and I can't really explain this well to people who have only known me since then. My life always had a sense of direction and purpose, but living through four years as a representative of the Roman Catholic Church will absolutely change you forever.
Anyway...that was ages and ages ago now, although I imagine I'll be telling the story ages and ages hence, too. Two roads diverged in front of me one day, and I--well, I took the one less traveled by, and that has truly made all the difference!
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