One of the reasons I read quite a bit is to gain some awareness of things, to learn and to grow. If I don’t learn anything new, I will probably grow little or not at all. Perhaps this is exactly what some older folks do---grow not at all. And sometimes, I am afraid that is the chosen path of some younger folks. That is why I was so delighted to come across an article which described “New York Encounter.” When I read that, I had no idea what was being described.
As I dove into the article, I realized the “Encounter” was an event sponsored by a Catholic group aiming for renewal. The article painted this picture: “It is a kind of Catholic Woodstock without the sex and drugs…” I am old enough to remember Woodstock, so this was a graphic description. Seemingly the aim of the event is encounter younger folks---millennials, but welcoming baby boomers still on the lookout for meaning and purpose. I read about the various experiences offered by the event, but I was most intrigued by the presence and words of David Brooks, one of my favorite commentators.
The first time Brooks appears in the essay, he is quoted to say, “Our society does a poor job of talking about the heart and soul…” I was touched because I agree. I spend most of my teaching time talking about heart and soul. And I know it takes some time for undergraduates to connect and begin to grow from our conversations. I suspect the same would be true for different age groups, too.
Brooks is not yet sixty years old. And yet he feels the deprivation of so much of modern culture. Reading his words in the article was a poignant experience for me. He comments, “the issue of individualism trumping all is not simply a millennial issue.” Apparently, Brooks was very candid about his own life and experience as he addressed the large audiences. One particular account touched me deeply. Brooks shared this experience. “On a book tour he spent 42 meals alone in airports. ‘I came to idolize time over people,’ he said, blaming a ‘life consumed by work and no one else’ for a crisis that enveloped him six years ago.” When someone is famous, as Brooks is, it is easy to be caught off guard by a story such as this. But it only reinforces the fact that he is human, just like all of us.
Brooks’ comments remind us not to idolize anything. He confesses his priorities were messed up. Work before people; that is an oft-repeated mistake made by many talented people who may even be intending good things. But ultimately, this is not satisfying. I read on to be reminded of some things I know and to learn new things. I already knew Brooks is Jewish, but relished appreciating that he has “freely quoted Catholic philosophers, such as Jacques Maritain, Henri Nouwen and Dorothy Day, on the need for community and reflection.” Those are the same Catholic writers who have helped me on my path.
I wholeheartedly agree with Brooks that community and reflection are keys to a life lived with purpose and filled with meaning. For that is really what he searches for---like all human beings. Without community, we become sitting ducks for a life devoid of meaning. Or we will try to plug some kind of second-rate, phony meaning into our life. It usually won’t work—or at least, won’t last over the long haul.
I was touched to read about Brooks’ personal crisis. That crisis entailed “hitting rock bottom while living in a bachelor apartment, soon after a divorce, where the drawers for the silverware were filled with Post-it notes about work projects.” Here is the picture of a very successful man in the eyes of the world. And apparently, it is a picture masking a very desperate man---desperate for community, involvement, meaning and transcendent purpose. Those are not simply fancy philosophical or theological words. They are words of the heart and soul. They are more than ideas. They represent real needs for real life.
The article is rich in stories, not only of Brooks, but of others. It ends with a Harrisburg physician, Chinh Pham. Apparently he comes to these gatherings annually. The writer comments that for Pham “It’s about ultimate meaning, a subject he likes to reflect upon in his role as a surgeon.” I like Pham’s own words: “When I come here I am reminded of the greatness of humanity and the richness of our Catholic faith. It asks us to be greater.” I am confident there are other faith traditions with their own richness---not only Christian, but other major religious traditions.
Reading this article confirmed so much of what I hold dear. Be careful of the promise of the individualism of our culture. Be careful of the workaholic approach to meaning and purpose. Don’t ignore the power of reflection. Make sure you become part of community. Friends and love are keys to a life worth living.
Just ask David Brooks or Chinh Pham. I already know.
As I dove into the article, I realized the “Encounter” was an event sponsored by a Catholic group aiming for renewal. The article painted this picture: “It is a kind of Catholic Woodstock without the sex and drugs…” I am old enough to remember Woodstock, so this was a graphic description. Seemingly the aim of the event is encounter younger folks---millennials, but welcoming baby boomers still on the lookout for meaning and purpose. I read about the various experiences offered by the event, but I was most intrigued by the presence and words of David Brooks, one of my favorite commentators.
The first time Brooks appears in the essay, he is quoted to say, “Our society does a poor job of talking about the heart and soul…” I was touched because I agree. I spend most of my teaching time talking about heart and soul. And I know it takes some time for undergraduates to connect and begin to grow from our conversations. I suspect the same would be true for different age groups, too.
Brooks is not yet sixty years old. And yet he feels the deprivation of so much of modern culture. Reading his words in the article was a poignant experience for me. He comments, “the issue of individualism trumping all is not simply a millennial issue.” Apparently, Brooks was very candid about his own life and experience as he addressed the large audiences. One particular account touched me deeply. Brooks shared this experience. “On a book tour he spent 42 meals alone in airports. ‘I came to idolize time over people,’ he said, blaming a ‘life consumed by work and no one else’ for a crisis that enveloped him six years ago.” When someone is famous, as Brooks is, it is easy to be caught off guard by a story such as this. But it only reinforces the fact that he is human, just like all of us.
Brooks’ comments remind us not to idolize anything. He confesses his priorities were messed up. Work before people; that is an oft-repeated mistake made by many talented people who may even be intending good things. But ultimately, this is not satisfying. I read on to be reminded of some things I know and to learn new things. I already knew Brooks is Jewish, but relished appreciating that he has “freely quoted Catholic philosophers, such as Jacques Maritain, Henri Nouwen and Dorothy Day, on the need for community and reflection.” Those are the same Catholic writers who have helped me on my path.
I wholeheartedly agree with Brooks that community and reflection are keys to a life lived with purpose and filled with meaning. For that is really what he searches for---like all human beings. Without community, we become sitting ducks for a life devoid of meaning. Or we will try to plug some kind of second-rate, phony meaning into our life. It usually won’t work—or at least, won’t last over the long haul.
I was touched to read about Brooks’ personal crisis. That crisis entailed “hitting rock bottom while living in a bachelor apartment, soon after a divorce, where the drawers for the silverware were filled with Post-it notes about work projects.” Here is the picture of a very successful man in the eyes of the world. And apparently, it is a picture masking a very desperate man---desperate for community, involvement, meaning and transcendent purpose. Those are not simply fancy philosophical or theological words. They are words of the heart and soul. They are more than ideas. They represent real needs for real life.
The article is rich in stories, not only of Brooks, but of others. It ends with a Harrisburg physician, Chinh Pham. Apparently he comes to these gatherings annually. The writer comments that for Pham “It’s about ultimate meaning, a subject he likes to reflect upon in his role as a surgeon.” I like Pham’s own words: “When I come here I am reminded of the greatness of humanity and the richness of our Catholic faith. It asks us to be greater.” I am confident there are other faith traditions with their own richness---not only Christian, but other major religious traditions.
Reading this article confirmed so much of what I hold dear. Be careful of the promise of the individualism of our culture. Be careful of the workaholic approach to meaning and purpose. Don’t ignore the power of reflection. Make sure you become part of community. Friends and love are keys to a life worth living.
Just ask David Brooks or Chinh Pham. I already know.
This is what I might call a classic Alan Kolp post, given its nod to David Brooks and affirmation of the power of reflection and community. Your own life underscores for all who know you how this life worth living looks. Grateful for all the ways you share, Alan.
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