STEWARDSHIP—LIVING CHRISTIANITY [ RADICALLY]

New World Articles

By Raymond Coughlin

October 6 th is the feast of St. Bruno, a saint about whom I know little except that a great Chicago parish is named after him. But the feast of St. Bruno in 2003 became a major milestone in my life. It was the day when I began to view people, places and things in a new light. It was the day of my stroke.

As strokes go, mine was, as they say, the kind to have, although I wouldn't recommend to anyone. I don't seem to have any major permanent impairment. But it was severe enough to serve as a wake-up call extraordinaire. It woke me up to the fact that I am not indestructible and that my demise is an inevitability for which I better be prepared.

Moreover, it took a stroke to make me realize that much of what I found annoying and perturbing before the feast of St. Bruno, is hardly worth fussing about now. TV commercials for bankruptcy and personal injury lawyers would, before SB (St. Bruno), drive me nuts. Since SB, when these guys appear on my tube, I almost never throw anything at the screen.

Before SB, when people would say, "no problem" as a response to "thank you," I would bite my lip and wonder why I bothered to thank the jerk in the first place. Since SB, when I hear it, I merely dismiss it as a cute (but stupid) little speech idiosyncrasy.

Rap music, before SB, would send me into orbit. Since SB, I regard it simply as background noise ... mindless, offensive background noise.

Before SB, drivers who don't give a grateful wave when I let them cut in front of me in heavy traffic, would give me a fit of road rage. Since SB, I don't let them cut in. No more road rage.

Lights and televisions left on when nobody's home, well, sorry, that that still bugs me no end.

In all seriousness, though, since the feast of Saint Bruno, I have gained a renewed appreciation for the truly important things in my life; faith, family, friends, co-workers and health, and I am more thankful than ever for all of these wonderful gifts.

So, my New Year's Day came on October 6 th , a day when my resolutions were made in the realization that all that we are and all that we have will some day be lost in, literally, a heartbeat.

Coughlin is director of the Department of Stewardship and Development for the Archdiocese of Chicago: rcoughlin@archchicago.org