All the Single Ladies...

               My 6 year old niece recently shared with me that she had obtained a boyfriend. As an uncle, I find this incredibly irritating. It saddens me that society thinks if we are single, we are missing out. Being a seminarian made me realize that the single life, far from being lonely, was incredibly rewarding in its own peculiar way.

               Now that I am out of priestly formation, there is nothing keeping me from dating. Seminary made me realize that, at present, I do not want or need a girlfriend. What I really want are simply good friends. St. Paul’s exhortation to remain single in I Corinthians 7 comes to mind.

               There is a question in the Church of whether or not the single life is a valid life-long vocation. It is a great question, and one that I am not sure of the answer of. The vast majority of us expect to someday get married and settle down. My main point is that, although this may be the case, we don’t need to feel like we are missing out.

               I think that many of us desperately need to realize that life is going on right now. Regardless of circumstance, God is working. Although someday I may be meant to be a priest, or a spouse, I know that right now, I am just supposed to be me. I do not need to strive to become that future spouse, I need to strive to be the present me…. And that is a wonderfully liberating thought.