Bearing Wrongs Patiently

When I came home after a busy day I received a note saying that I had to finish cleaning my bathroom and doing something with the clutter in front of the desk. I was almost as mad as a hornet!!! My room had to reach a certain standard in order for me to be allowed to stay at my friend's for the night. That's what was really bothering me!

I really think it's wrong to punish someone for having a problem he/she can't control or is doing the best they can with. And I've been really trying but did take some time out to do something.

I almost wrote a grievance (a complaint) about this but thought I'd talk to my case manager-the one who wrote the note-since this was kind of a "first offense" and also I received another note about a necessary ANNUAL smoke alarm inspection in every room of the building which has one. So they said our rooms had to be neat for the inspection. My smoke alarm isn't far from the chairs or clutter in front of my desks-so they will need room to do their work without tripping over my stuff or breaking an ankle.

I felt like I needed to talk to Father right away even if it's not a dire emergency. If I discuss issues that are weighing on me like this I usually don't call them at home or on their cell phones; I usually would talk to them before of after Mass or in the confessional.

So I called him at the number I have for him on my cell phone-probably his cell phone. I told him that I'm terrible at bearing wrongs patiently-one of the Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy and had less than a saintly attitude toward this kind of treatment.

He did ask me if the rent is reasonable and I told him that they base it on income like a housing authority apartment. He even asked me if I thought of moving and I said yes, but I really don't like living alone and don't know who'd let me live with them. And I'd like to live close to St. Patrick's so I can keep going to the Latin Mass.

He did encourage me and helped me not to feel like such a bad person and we both agreed other people, even seminarians and Sisters, can be a challenge to live with. Probably why it would be hard to find a place to live with others unless I got married or committed to an institution.

He's been quite a comfort and a blessing to me and sounds very cheerful even over the phone and behind the screen in the confessional. I wish I could be that cheerful, but I still have "more issues than TV Guide" and complain too much. This includes being penalized for being a very disorganized and tired packrat who has very little space to keep her belongings.

Father asked me if I had an "altar" in my room or some special place to pray or at least a statue of a patron Saint. I said I don't have the space for the altar, but I do have a statue of the Blessed Virgin with a Miraculous Medal on each side of her.

Saint Anthony of Padua is a favorite Saint of mine because he's the finder of lost things, St. Francis of Assisi another one because I admire him for giving away his possessions to the poor and living a life of poverty (as well as his love of animals) and St. Dymphna for being the Saint for mental and nervous conditions-which is what seems to be getting me in trouble-with the clutter and a lot of behavioral and emotional issues-including the stress that this situation causes me. So I may have at least these four Saints on my personal altar whenever I find room for one.

Father said he had to get off the phone, but he and I prayed the Magnificat, three Hail Marys, and another prayer-part of it in English and part of it in Latin, before getting off the phone.

Since I'm feeling a need to spend as much time as possible on this room I may not have much time to post on this blog. So I may have to post every other day-including the lessons on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit-Whose guidance I can really use at this time.