Among the duties of a bishop in our Romanian Catholic Church is participation in the twice-annual sessions of our Synod of Bishops in Blaj. Here I am, in the bishops’ guest room at the monastery of the Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of the Lord (Congregația Maicii Domnului) in Cluj. I arrived last night, and now I want to write something to send home to report a little on my journey. But I am feeling suddenly so tired it all looks like a really bad idea. What to call these scribblings? “Bulletins?” “Dispatches from the Front?” So I get a few lines in front of me (difficult enough with straying fingers and an overly enthusiastic spell-checker) and see what will happen. Nothing.
I looked up the lyrics of On the Road Again by Willie Nelson to see if they express what I, not the most enthusiastic traveler, am feeling. ”Just can’t wait to get on the road again.” Hmm. That’s the opposite of what I had in mind.
I just made an herbal tea, wondering if I can stay awake long enough to drink it. That bed sure is looking attractive! Maybe I should be drinking some of the coffee the nuns gave me…