Swinging for the Trees

Last night at about 9:15 p.m., Learner was walking home from his Theology and Practice of Prayer class (the last of a long day's worth) when he looked over at the campus playground and saw a grown man, alone in full motion, swinging on the playground swingset.

The sight of this 225-pound adult - legs pumping and head and upper body thrown back for momentum - coupled with the evening's teaching that prayer need not be long, eloquent, or intense to be done or effectual, caused Learner to stop in his tracks to offer a prayer to God asking for a similar lightness of spirit.

"Swinging for the trees," Learner said. "The man on the swing, too."