Stepping Up to Take Up the Slack

My internet Pal Mark Mossa SJ is in the middle of a silent retreat. I tried to decide what I could do for him to show my solidarity, and as an act of sacrifice that his retreat would go well.

After much prayer and discernment I decided that I would make the supreme sacrifice of talking more than usual all weekend while I was at Gradual School, in an effort to take up the slack left by Mark's silence. I know, you are all shaking your heads and saying how brave of me to step up and take on such a huge sacrifice, but I care deeply for Mark and want his retreat to go well. I am willing to put in that extra effort, even if it taxes me.

Just ask my friends at St Meinrad, I did everything I could to keep up my vigil of talking more than usual (a mean feet as I am a marathon talker). I stayed at the party on Saturday evening until everyone else had gone to bed, and then I called mrangelmeg and bugged him by cell phone for another half hour, just to make sure that I had overtalked enough to assure that I had done my part for Mark.

Whew. I am exhausted. I am really glad that this was only an 8 day retreat. I don't think I could have kept up this pace had Mark gone on a 30 day silent retreat. My voice may have given out, but most assuredly my friends and family would have banished me.

Hey, do you suppose that those people who wander around on the street talking to themselves are taking up the slack for someone who is on a silent retreat?

Pax