Father Aloysius Galvin, S.J. was a legend at Georgetown Prep High School.  A larger than life figure with a gentle spirit.  When you were in his presence, you were at the center of a fair and just world.  He will be forever missed.

During his last days, I had the great honor of visiting him on campus in the Jesuit Library on the second floor of Boland Hall.  The cancer had spread aggressively by that point and it was clear he didn’t have much time left.  He did not (could not?) get up to meet me. But he greeted me with a warm smile and waved me in.    Fr. Galvin would never let a little thing like cancer dampen his spirits!

He was seated on the couch against the window with a blue and gray blanket across his lap.  The first thing I  noticed was the book in his hands.  “Sudoku for Dummies”.  After exchanging pleasantries, I asked him about the book.  I found it amusing that a Renaissance Man with weeks to live would be exploring Sudoku puzzles.

“I always wanted to learn how to do them, but I just never got around to it.  And it’s something I can take into the next life.”

Whoa.

His faith and utter assurance in an afterlife were unshakeable to the end.  And then he hit me with a line that shaped my life from that point forward.

“I may not have a lot of time left.  But I have this moment.”

So true.  When we strip everything else away, it’s all about this moment.

How many times have we put something off until “tomorrow”?  How many times have we sulked about a past we cannot change?  How many times have been so focused on regret that we jeopardize our future?  No one knows how much time they have left.  But we ALL have this moment.

Life is Chaotic

Our lives can get so busy with one moment blending seamlessly into the next.  We have to hustle to make our numbers.  We have to grind to set up our business. We have to study for our exams, prepare our case or practice our lesson plan.  In addition, we have social activities and volunteer opportunities.  We have to shuttle our children to activities and care for their well-being.  And there are numerous commitments that extend beyond our jobs and family lives.

But at some point, we have to step back and look at where we are going.  Are we moving toward our goals?  Are we helping others live their dreams?  Are we taking care of ourselves and feeding our own needs?   Are we taking the time to appreciate the present moment?

Too often we are neither living in the present or the future.  We look back with regret on some ill-fated decision or run of bad luck.  We obsess about the things we haven’t accomplished without realizing that our future is slipping away.  But eventually, things will slow down.  What will we do then?

Soak in the Present Moment

That is exactly what has happened during this global pandemic.   We still have responsibilities with work, family, and friends but the distractions are at a minimum.  The wheel has come to a grinding halt.

It is an understandably difficult time for many and there is a temptation to curl into a ball and fast-forward through this chapter of our lives.  But why not take a page out of Father Galvin’s playbook?  Why not take advantage of this moment?  This is the perfect time to try something we have never done before.  This is the perfect time to repair a fractured relationship.  This is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for a solid future.  This is the perfect time to take a breath and savor the present moment.

Paint Your Canvas

We build resilience in challenging times.  It’s all about maximizing the present to build a better future. It’s all about appreciating the time we have, rather than lamenting the time we have lost.  This pandemic is a canvas and we can paint it any color we wish.   Let’s choose vibrant colors.

Pick up that guitar.  Write that business plan.  Hug your children.  Thank your spouse.  Call an old friend.  And yes, if you are so inclined, buy a book on how to solve Sudoku puzzles.

We don’t know how much time we have left.  But we will always have THIS moment.

Thank you, Father Galvin.