Interruptions

Spring break week. For months, I thought I would be facilitating people on an 8-day Ignatian retreat. At the last minute, that plan fell through. Looking at the bright side of things, I focused on how I suddenly gained a week of “free days.” Days where nothing was set in my schedule and where I could simply do whatever I most wanted to do, like our recent snow day (see my March 1 blog).

Not one day this week went like the free day I planned and, unfortunately, I can’t say I accomplished what I most wanted to accomplish. For example, Monday I decided to write on a journal article I need to submit, but I only managed to find and organize and read a dozen articles relevant to my study. Thursday afternoon, I decided to “play hooky” and so a friend and I drove out to Mt. Crescent only to find too much snow had melted to actually snowboard down their little hill. I was back in my office doing email again by 3:30. Sigh. After an entire week gone awry, I saw Friday afternoon as my last chance to do whatever I wanted. Spring break was not over yet! However, I did not manage to leave Creighton until almost 3pm. By the time I got home, all I could do was to take a quick nap. A week of free days and what did I get? A nap!

When I first started working at Creighton, one of the dear, wise Jesuits routinely reminded me that no matter my “to-do” list, the interruptions were almost certainly more important and likely were what I was actually called to accomplish that day. He said, “God is in the interruptions. Jesus is that person knocking on your door, calling you on the phone, sending you that email that demands your attention.”

With my week of free days a shambles, I thought about Fr. Bert’s words. He was right. I could see good that came from every shamble of a day that did not go as planned. Monday, I inspired a co-worker to jump into high gear on writing her dissertation. Thursday afternoon, I grew closer with my friend as we talked about our “adventure” and processed all we learned about snowboarding that day without having to actually risk life and limb. And Friday? Well, I did not go home until 3pm Friday because I agreed last minute to go to lunch with a colleague from the health sciences. It turns out she had been trying to have lunch with me since last summer, but I had always been too busy for her. During our impromptu gathering, she shared herself with me, shared stories of God, love, family, life and death. She reminded me of what matters most in life. She humbled and inspired me with the depth of her humanity. The “interruption” of my Friday afternoon graced me beyond anything I could have ever gained had I carried out my “plan” for the day.

God is in the interruptions. Where was God in your spring break?