Having a Day

"How good it is, that we are here today." Going to mass at Muller Chapel for three years now, that statement seems commonplace at the 1 or 9 o clock mass. Father Carsten is constantly repeating it, elaborating on it, using it as much as he possibly can. The statement is simple, yet when you think about it...............wow, it's a heavy subject...let's break it down.

First: "How good it is..."
When you think about it, good cannot get much better than this. It is a rhetorical question, one that cannot be answered easily at all. If everyone really thinks about it, they can evaluate their own life at that moment, and decide how good it really is. Goodness is something undervalued in our society today, as life is often too fast paced to appreciate any of the goodness in their lives. That might be anything from a promotion at a job to a simple hello from a friend.

Second: "...that we are here today."
Are you happy to be alive? What does that entail? Just being in the world another day should be considered a blessing. Often, waking up in the morning is taken for granted. At the sound of an alarm clock, people start their day with a groan, a brief swear word, shouts about the lack of light outdoors, or just constant complaints about how early it is. We have all done it. If you knew it was your last day, would you react the same way?

Another aspect of Father using the word "here" is the reference to being in the building, at Muller Chapel, attending church. It is just an hour, but everyone hearing the statement took time out of their Sunday to listen to God's word. No one told us to go. It was our decision. How good is that? As college kids, that display of faith is impressive.

"How good it is, that we are here today."

This brings me to the football field. One might be surprised to hear me talking about a recent blowout loss St. John Fisher on here, but it makes sense, trust me. Much like Father Carsten's teachings, Head Coach Mike Welch hammers home the idea of staying in the moment. There is no reason to dwell on the past, or worry about the future, the only thing you can control is right now.

With that said, we lost, yet we stayed in the moment. Sometimes things don't work out. But, everyone on that team woke up the next day. Tough as it was, it was still good to wake up. This is a week of midterms, papers, and stress. Life is honestly too short to stress over a 5-pager, thats why your here isn't it? Like we say on the football field, everyone is here because they are supposed to be. Whether it is in the classroom, on the field, or in the social scene, as students we have the talent to do well. You are in the place you are in for a reason. Tests might come back with a seriously scary score, papers might be so marked up you can't even see the words, or you might be having problems getting along with a friend. Most likely though, you will get up tomorrow morning. Whether you like it or not, life goes on.

So, there is no other choice but to accept that and enjoy it. Some things have to be hard, but the challenge is half the fun. Your alarm might be ear piercing, annoying and ringing a bit too early, but hey you heard it go off didn't you. Maybe next time, instead of cussing out the time on the clock, sit up, and just think, "How good it is, that I am here today." What a way to start a day.