Epic Days of Waiting

Often, a day spent in D.C.—living in a diverse community of 14 and working on Capitol Hill—feels like a multi-chapter chronicle.  Life hasn’t felt this full, ever.  

Any given day is rife with interpersonal encounters and dynamics.  I’m almost always engaging with others or navigating relationships and interactions between them.  Multiple encounters with strangers—scheduled and ad hoc—add a delightful element of surprise to a day.  I often show-up at special, powerful events—whether intentionally or by happenstance.  I attend meetings with a variety of people—I may know some of them and I might know the reason we’re meeting (but not always).  Several circles of people welcome me as a member.  I could spend time in multiple locations throughout the District in very different environments in a day.  There’s also a constant buzzing of political intrigue and activity that’s consuming “the background”. 

At the end of the day, I’m left in awe when I stop to revisit and digest my experiences.  I try to be vigilant and cognizant of each glimpse of the Light—and I catch them frequently.  The days are meaningful, full, exciting, and relentlessly distracting.  And yet, still, I am longing deeply for something more, something else.  This Advent, how do you live in anticipation?

Quincy Howard OP

Washington, D.C.