Unloading

Body
Took a short break to spend a long weekend with childhood friends in the Washington DC area. Of course, that reunion completely sabotaged my diet: spicy catfish, salmon, crabcakes, native Filipino sausage, all eaten with copious amounts of rice. Exotic ice cream--2 huge scoops.

I did try and work it off by walking from museum to museum, standing around for hours taking pictures, saying a few prayers. I fear, however, that the calculus of calories and exercise tilts heavily toward added poundage.

Photo taken by Bunny Fabella

Mind
As I gazed with awe at the beauty of the National Shrine (Basilica of Immaculate Conception in Washington DC), I couldn't help but wonder about the busloads of pilgrims gathered there. Now, they probably would get some special dispensation too for making the trip, but how would that equal to the arduous journey I'll be making this time next year? As a friend laughingly told me, she crossed the threshold in Rome when the curtains parted, thus earning her deliverance from purgatory. All she did was take a few steps; I would have to hike 60 miles. Where is the divine justice in that?

What other burdens would I have to carry from now until the time I take those first steps in Spain? How are we judged--by discrete actions, or in the course of a lifetime? Does one act of faith cancel an offense, and vice versa? When do we actually attain salvation?

And to make things more complicated, here is my weekly quote from Marcel Proust:
"We become moral when we are unhappy."

How's that for food for thought?

Peace,
Almira