OUR IGNATIAN RETREAT PART 1

My grandfather turned 100 this year; I turned 25.

He reads the newspaper on a daily basis; I can’t say the same.

He has so much wisdom and experience to share; I might look good on a résumé, but I’m just like everyone else.

He stands out in the crowd by being the only one in the cafeteria at his long-term care centre who is able to feed himself without help; I’m one of the many who barely cook at home.

I’m only a quarter of the man I could be. What could I do with potentially 75 more New Year’s resolutions?

When I was a kid, I dreamed of being the oldest person in the world. During my walks to school, I decided the meaning of life was to look for the meaning of life. I started to write my own autobiography in my spare time before I turned 12. (My spare time is now spent trying to recover aforementioned autobiography.)

I have doubled my age since then, and I’m definitely still fulfilling my meaning of life – looking for the meaning of life…I’m experiencing a “quarter-life crisis.


This introduction to an article written by Eric Kam, a Brebeuf alumnus, was published in the Globe on Mail this past New Year’s Eve.

It’s about trying to make sense of life and I applaud Eric for his openness and transparency.

His article has inspired me to embark on my next series of blog entries called Our Ignatian Retreat which I will post daily for the rest of the month. I’d like offer a special thanks to friend Bob Hamlyn for his encouragement in the writing and publishing of this set of blogs.

I assume that if you’ve been with me for the past year or so, you must realize that I’m a spiritual person if, by definition, that means someone who is on a journey from what he is to what he will be. Having cancer just puts that journey into much sharper focus.

I also fully appreciate that what follows might be trite or naïve to some, pedantic or preachy to others.

Some might even think that Mike 2.0 has finally jumped the shark. No matter.

For my blog to be authentic, I feel a need to chronicle my faith journey as well as my physical journey over my cancer time.

Please realize that most of what follows is a work in progress. I don’t have all the answers, in fact, I don’t even have most of the questions. But I would like to share some of my thoughts and would welcome your input at any time.