Regents, weddings, implants and a funeral...

The retreat finished on a good note.  For the first time, our board was actually in the school during a regular day...not that any day is ever "regular."  We spent quality time with a consultant, Chris Fischer, who talked us through the process of asking ourselves what kind of board we want to be.  It was interesting because of the seven new regents who, in my mind, bolted from the starting gate at break neck speed.  They showed interest, commitment and broad thinking - exactly what you hope and dream about when you assemble a group for this purpose.  The remaining time was business as usual but also a tour of the school, a visit to various classrooms and lunch with a group of chosen students who actually got to associate real people with the title "regent."  For them, it has been a mysterious force that would show up on the day they left for long weekends.  Now here they are eating turkey sandwhiches and drinking Diet Cokes, sweating out the late summer heat and humidity just like the students were doing.  I had more positive feedback from this meeting than I've had from any other and I bet it had a lot to do with the presence of the students. 

Last weekend took me to Mankato for a wedding between a former colleague and his amazing bride.  I cannot imagine how it took them so long to find each other but the result speaks for itself.  I have strong feelings about these wedding ceremonies as well...too often they seem like obligatory prayers that need to be said quickly so the invitees can eat, drink and dance.  I've even had brides and grooms remind me to keep my "words" short because they have a limo rented at 3 PM but only for an hour and they wanted to do a "bar hop" before the reception.  *Sigh*  But this wedding was totally different.  It had spiritual depth, liturgical creativity and solemn purpose.  Most engaging however was the sense of pure, unadulterated gratitude.  You don't see that everyday.  This couple dispensed with a lot of the modern day trappings (I use that word deliberately) and made it a true celebration of family, friends and covenant.

Today I had a titanium post drilled into my jaw where it will ossify (hope that's the correct word) for four months when it is ready to receive a permanent tooth.  Tim Jacobsen, an alum of Saint John's University, was the man at the helm and I was more surprised than anyone how quickly and easily it went.  Having someone drilling into my jaw is not my idea of a good start to the week but at least I will fill the hole that has been sitting in the middle of my lower teeth for some weeks now.  In the meantime, soup, yogurt and energy drinks!

Finally...from the Abbey...tonight we receive the body of Br. Francis whom I lovingly called Frank and he let me get away with it.  He was a master garden, his expertise shown in roses and we was as proud of those flowers as anything in life, not because he grew them but because we all appreciated them and him for helping them grow.  His goal was to avoid moving to our retirement center so when a massive stroke felled him last week, I somehow know he refused to come home and be catered to....he went the other way...the way he's been eyeing for the past several years and he will be missed for his sense of humor, gentle spirit and quiet demeanor.  He's one of those giants that come in a small package.  It could have been easy to miss him but I'm glad I didn't.