About eight years ago I was discerning my vocation. I had met an awesome young lady via the Internet through the now non-existing Catholicity Chat (Catholicity is still up and running). After we had met online and then met in person I was still in the discernment process. I very much enjoyed being with her but I wasn't sure if God wasn't calling me to the religious life. I had intended to spend a year with the Franciscans to test the waters.
During Thanksgiving of that year I visited this young woman who would eventually be my wonderful wife and her family. I had the opportunity to meet her grandparents on one outing and with that visit the discernment process was over. Her paternal grandfather had such an impact on me that it is hard to describe. Here was a feeble elderly man who had fought in World War II, reared 12 children, and to me seemed to be a living saint. Up until that point I believed that the only way to be a saint was to be a religious. With Grandpa Vin I learned that this wasn't the case. In order to be a saint one must fulfill ones vocation with all of his or her heart, mind, body, and soul.
After thinking about this lately I feel as though I have let the ball drop in a sense. I think of all the energy I put into my little projects and ideas, work, play, etc., but how much work and energy do I apply to my vocation. In short, for the past 8 years I have certainly known my vocation but I haven't been working actively at it. I feel as though I have approached with a "well now that I know my vocation I am done" type attitude. Instead I should be actively working on fulfilling that vocation to the best of my ability. I should be throwing all kinds of energy into my vocation - reading from others who have done so, praying about it, seeking like minded persons, encouraging others in their vocation and on and on.
Knowing my vocation is not enough. I must work at being the best I can be. I must train to be the best husband, the best father, the Catholic gentleman I can be. Like Grandpa Vin, I don't have to shout it from the roof, I simply need to live it.
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