Inspired and Intimidated - Part One

Back at the beginning of October, I wrote on a friend's facebook wall a sort of negative post regarding St. Therese of Liseux. Now before you go calling me a hater, let me clarify.  My negativity was not so much about St. Therese as it was about myself.  Her feast day spurred in me a bit of a quarter-life crisis of sorts.  I mean, I am 24 years old.  I have graduated college, and had a love-hate relationship with a stream of one year jobs in the time that has elapsed since May 2009.  In short, I haven't accomplished anything all that exciting.  St. Therese on the other hand... now she was 24 once too.  In fact, she died at age 24.

She died at 24 and became a Doctor of the Church.  Seriously.  A Doctor. Of the Church. One of only three women to receive the honor. And the youngest of all 33 doctors of the Church by a solid decade. And looking at that, well, my life seemed a bit lame by comparison.  Now before you go off an tell me, don't worry it will be fine, or maybe you'll meet her in heaven sometime.  Please don't.  Don't worry, I'm not really depressed or quarter-life crisis over this.

Quarter-life crisis behind me, realizing just how young St. Therese was at her death, caused me to think.  It made me realize yet again just how short life can be.  But it also showed me that all of us, no matter how young, are called to strive toward greatness.  It is a reminder that being young is no excuse not to do big things.  So consider St. Therese the introduction to a series on (young) people who inspire me.