Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

You are a child of the universe
no less than the rees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

~~excerpts from Desiderata~~

Speak your truth quietly and clearly...
What is campus ministry if not the opportunity to do just this--speak the truth of your faith to your students. And yet, it is something I am having trouble doing in this job. It is a challenge, of course, to articulate one's personal faith in the context of a larger religious tradition. But I want to find a way to do this...to help my girls explore their faith by sharing my own.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should...
Oh, this. Yes. How hard is it? To trust that things are going as they should? Even in the face of uncertainty or evidence to the contrary? But it is. It is. We humans are prone to living in the past and the future, while missing the present. Our challenge is to embrace and live in the present...to enjoy the moment without regretting the past (or trying to recapture it) or worrying about the future.

...it is still a beautiful world...
Look around...the Hudson River, the Atlantic Ocean, the smile of a friend, the giggle of a child, the world through your camera lens, a beer after work, the blue sky on a spring day, the kindness of a stranger, peanut butter m&ms, the Rocky Mountains, the Irish countryside, the Grand Canyon, and falling snow. Despite the disappointments and obstacles, the world is full of joy, beauty and opportunity.