Changing Seasons

A few mornings ago, I gingerly opened the drapes to meet the new day only to be greeted by grey skies and unwanted rain.  My heart whispered what I had been thinking all week, “Autumn is on its way; the signs are appearing all around me”.

The stately maple tree viewed from my window is already wearing her fresh orange and golden leaves.  The flower beds are a riot of bright marigolds, tiny yellow mums, and purple chrysanthemums. Even the nearby brown cat tails are spreading taupe stuffing into the air.  It all looks like fall to me.

The calendar points to the beginning of another academic year.  It’s time to purchase new shoes and school wear, and backpacks.  Meanwhile, young adults are packing their belongings and heading off to institutions of higher learning at home and abroad.  Some parents will sigh in relief while others will be apprehensive about facing an empty nest.

Of course, unions know that as school reopens the country and harvesting is in full swing.  It’s the ideal time to strike and pressure government and big business to settle economic disputes and wage disparities.

As autumn 2024 begins on a serious note, we leave idyllic summer memories behind and embrace the unknown future that lies ahead.  As stalwart, concerned citizens, we will continue to work together to build a better world of justice and peace for all.

Autumn Blessings!

-Sister Jean Moylan, csj

Image: Samantha Hare @correliebre/Unsplash

Long Live the Lazy

Regular followers of our blog posts are aware that I have a propensity for using taglines as the starting point for my shared reflections. In that vein,  La-Z-boy furniture company launched its new tagline, “Long Live the Lazy.” Coincidentally, I first heard the now repeated line last Saturday.

Part of my weekly routine is my habit of enjoying a “me day” on Saturdays. Reflecting on the tagline, the word lazy piqued my interest. Professor Google provided me with multiple synonyms for lazy. As you have noticed, many of them have a strong, negative connotation such as slothful, good-for-nothing and negligent. I was a little more committed to being lazy when the professor introduced me to the word otiose. The Oxford Dictionary states the adjective otiose as, “serving no practical purpose or result.” Truthfully, as the term ‘Me Day” indicates, Saturday is my one day to set my list of tasks aside and enjoy a day of leisure, thus availing myself of a set time for living life in the spirit of “Long Live the Lazy.”

This restful otiose approach to life was first recorded in Genesis where God took a “Me Day” also.

-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ

Image: Angelina Kichukova @anynieel/Unsplash