“Do not be upset if things are not as you would want them to be for a long time to come.”– Louise de Marillac[1]
“I’m going on an adventure!”– Bilbo Baggins[2]
I’ve always been fascinated with stories and the ways we use narrative to experience and structure the world. Growing up, I devoured ancient and modern myths, from the Greeks to the Lord of the Rings, to Star Trek and beyond. The more twists and turns the better. However, in my daily life I’m more of a hobbit than anything else, preferring the certainty of a nice cozy home and a cup of tea to return to. On occasion, I’m even guilty of reading spoilers just to make sure my favorite character makes it to the end.
Life, though, is not always so accommodating; you can’t read ahead, as there is always more to be written. Uncertainty abounds. Ironically, it’s the one reliable truth—we don’t know what’s next and nothing is really certain. While each of our lives is our own story, each tale is influenced by countless other authors (sometimes frustratingly), whether they be humans, impersonal forces of nature, or, for some, providence. By the very act of being, our lives are a collaborative act of storytelling.
As such, our lives don’t always go the way we think, hope, or even dread. You start the day with a flat tire on your morning commute (I’m currently waiting for my tires to be replaced as I write this!). You receive unexpectedly good or bad news from an email or phone call. You lose a loved one or gain an unexpected friend. Your coffee is free because the barista accidentally made the wrong order, but then it tastes terribly burnt.
While we’ve all felt such uncertainties on a small scale, for many there used to be a general sense that the macro of our bigger institutions and social fabric would continue to hold without disruption due to unseen powerful authors plotting history. That somehow, by its sheer scale and the unwritten social norms and rules underpinning it, society’s meta-narrative could absorb risk and uncertainty and plod along towards the future. Yet, the past few years have revealed (if not caused?) a fraying of our lumbering story. Pandemics; the climate crisis with its inhospitable heat, drought, famine, and floods; economic uncertainty; authoritarianism, bigotry, and hate: all act as accelerants in unraveling the “old normal” even as we yearn for the stability of a “new normal.”
With that said, movements like those for racial or climate justice can be positive forces for rewriting the course of our collective adventure. These inclusive drives recognize that every person should have a hand in crafting the tale of human history, especially those that are often left out, marginalized, and treated as nameless extras. Just because the story was unjustly written in the past, doesn’t mean it has to be now. Our namesake, Vincent de Paul, called upon us to treat everyone with sacred dignity, and to realize that there are no extras superfluous to our human narrative. We all matter.
As we live out our Vincentian mission at DePaul, although we too live in uncertainty, we live in a community committed to a common story. Our mission is, at its heart, a tale we tell and retell. We can be different here, we can live not just for ourselves but for others, and we can transform the world through education, compassion, and a recognition of each other’s sacred dignities. Ultimately, we can own our stories, and our mission. As fall and a new academic year full of countless tales begins, the path before us may feel uncertain. Let’s not dread the winding road ahead. Let’s walk it together, for our future is nothing more than the unwritten pages of a collective book. Let’s embrace the adventure.
Reflection Questions:
- If you could read ahead, would you?
- Who are some of your favorite “co-authors” in DePaul’s ongoing story?
- Where would you like DePaul’s story to go next?
Reflection by: Alex Perry, Program Manager, Division of Mission and Ministry
Register here: https://vhw-breakfast-2022.eventbrite.com
[1] L.519, To Sister Anne Hardemont, (1658), Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac, 614-615. At: https://via.library.depaul.edu/ldm/.
[2] The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, directed by Peter Jackson (Warner Bros. Pictures, 2012).
St. Vincent de Paul Heritage Week
Join us this fall as together we embrace the adventure and ownership of our mission during St. Vincent de Paul Heritage Week. Among our many events in the last week of September, we are inviting the entire DePaul community to gather on Friday, September 30th, for the annual Heritage Week Prayer Breakfast. This year, we welcome new DePaul University President Dr. Robert L. Manuel, who will speak about his vision of the Vincentian spirit and its impact on these complex and uncertain times.
This was a wonderfully written and well-timed offering of wisdom today. I enjoy and appreciate reading these each week. Thank you!