What I Am Living For
My journey into contemplative spirituality (if that is what it should be called) began over seven years ago when I discovered Thomas Merton. For so many years, he was a sort of boogeyman within the Catholic circles I ran in. So many people had advised me to avoid him, which I did for well over a decade. But, as my life developed and matured, I found myself taking a chance on reading something about Merton. This has led me to seeing the world and my faith with new eyes. Fast forwarding five years after that encounter, I was fortunate to be able to contribute a short essay, in a collection edited by Jon Sweeney called What I Am Living For , on how Thomas Merton has impacted my life. As I re-launch this blog, which has sat dormant for a few years, I wanted to begin by pointing to the one who really started me on this path that I am still on. My contribution comes in the form of a short essay found in part two of the book. I describe how I came to first appreciate Merton after many y