Dear Friend,
In mid-March when everything went sideways, one of the first memorable things we did as a family was a two-hour traipse through the countryside behind our home, somehow finding a path we had never hiked before. The kids scuffled and ran off tons of energy. A pileated woodpecker flew across our path. New views led to new conversations and stories. And that walk led to many others in the weeks ahead.
It turns out we were not alone. In a British study out last week, 43% of respondents feel they have “changed their ways for the better” as a result of the lockdown. What caught our eye in the new habits list: two in five have begun or re-started going for long walks.
Solvitur ambulando is a Latin phrase sometimes attributed to St. Augustine: “It is solved by walking.” Walking has been extolled by so many that the pages could fill a library. “Few people know how to take a walk,” wrote American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. “The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.”
But why, exactly, is a good walk so powerful? And what does it “solve” for your Trinity House? To recall, the heart of Level 4—Family Culture—is the family meal, an image of the eucharistic table, the main venue in which your family’s interpersonal communion takes place. But while family meals always take the gold, walking wins the silver. And hopefully, for many, long family walks will be the enduring silver lining of the lockdown.
There are so many reasons why family walks can play an important part in family culture. Here are three:
- Everyone needs fresh air and exercise—Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, so let’s teach our kids to treat them well! The physical health benefits of walking are undisputed. For more spiritual health, you can even pray together on your walk. Habit stacking the family rosary onto a family walk can be a great way to grow your Trinity House!
- Families need togetherness—So why not take advantage of the kind of powerful interplay of family members which the walk offers? As studies indicate, many parents spend as few as 5 hours weekly being physically present with their children. As families, we desperately need more time together. Walks are a perfect way to bring togetherness to life.
- Christian families need to be present in the community—So why not bless your neighbors with a visible icon of God’s love? Fewer Americans know their neighbors’ names than ever before, and isolation and loneliness abound. Your family’s physical presence on the streets of your neighborhood can be a powerful counterpoint, providing needed opportunities to connect.
Solvitur ambulando. As we share in our Heaven in Your Home Workshop, families today must confront a powerful trifecta of impersonal lifestyles, dying faith, and toxic culture. In the day-to-day life of a family, walking can solve some of these issues, chiefly by getting ahead of the problems in the first place.
“It is solved by walking.”
Heaven In Your Home Toolkit
“We’ve committed to going outside for a walk together every day,” write Josh and Stacy Noem in “Family Life in a Pandemic,” a helpful article with suggested activities.
“Better Than Before: Re-Prioritizing Your Post-Quarantine Life“: Alexandra Kuykendall shares some helpful advice in a video interview on Focus on the Family.
“The air out there is crisper and cleaner and more sparkling than it’s been in a long, long while,” writes Elizabeth Foss in her most recent column, “Take the Time to Imagine“: “Inhale deeply and imagine how to gather up the good of the last few weeks and bring it with you into the slow unfolding of tomorrow. Take the good of the last few weeks — the exquisite tutorial afforded you during the pause — and imagine who you want to be and how you want your world to look when this is all over.”
In the lead-up to Pentecost, take some time to reflect on the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. Bishop Barron’s “Understanding the Holy Spirit,” a 30-min. conversation posted last week, is a great place to start.
From Dr. Gregory Popcak: “God is giving us an opportunity to rediscover an idea that has been hidden in plain sight since the early Church. Namely, it’s the Catholic home — not the parish, the parish school, or diocesan chancery — that is meant to be the crucible of intentional discipleship and primary outpost of evangelization.” Read more in “Pandemic sparks a renewed focus on idea of ‘domestic church,'” in Angelus News.
And also from Rachael and Dr. Popcak: “My own working definition of ‘domestic church’ is, ‘a household of persons united to God and each other through the sacramental life of the Church, and committed to living out the Christian/Trinitarian vision of love in their home and in the world.'” Read more here.
Have you come across an inspiring article, video, or interview lately which would help other individuals and families in their quest to find heaven in their home? We want to hear from you! Just send it to us at contact@trinityhousecommunity.org — and we’ll consider it for future toolkits and e-letters.
Don’t Miss…
Haven’t joined us yet? Consider signing up for our next LIVESTREAM opportunity: Heaven In Your Home Workshop:
- Wednesday, June 24th, 8-9:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Learn more and register here, and then spread the word by forwarding this email to your friends.
Testimonial
“I find the 5 levels of Heaven in Your Home incredibly helpful. To see it laid out in practical terms is crucial. I’m putting it on our fridge. You should do this for marriage prep!” — Workshop Participant
Please Join Us In Prayer
- For the staff of Trinity House Cafe, as we work to prepare for reopening on Friday, June 12th.
- For all of the upcoming and recent Heaven in Your Home Workshop participatns, that their families would experience the grace and peace of our Lord as they build their Trinity Houses.
- For wisdom for our leaders, as they make decisions about reopening our economy.
- For all senior citizens, doctors, nurses, and essential workers.
- For the unemployed, the underemployed, and all those facing difficult financial decisions in these days.
In Christ,
Soren & Ever Johnson
Co-Founders & Directors
Trinity House Community
Making Home a Little Taste of Heaven
