Finding God in All Things

Finding God in All Things
Reflection from Row David

Taken from Loyola Press:
“Finding God in all things is at the core of Ignatian Spirituality and is rooted in our
growing awareness that God can be found in every one, in every place and in
every thing. When we learn to pay more attention to God, we become more
thankful and reverent, and through this we become more devoted to God, more
deeply in love with our Creator.”

For those that know me well know that I love watching anime. My first anime I
watched as a child was Robotech. These “cartoons” were far different from that of
Tom & Jerry or Looney Tunes. Every Sunday evening, on KTEH channel 54, I was
glued to this serialized science-fiction story. Through the years, anime started to
make its way to the United States. Shows like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Cowboy
Bebop, Naruto made fans out of so many people.

One anime studio, in particular, stood out – Studio Ghibli. Known for its distinct
style of animation, crafty storytelling whether it be a child-friendly story or more
adult-themed, and most notably, its music. Joe Hisaishi is regarded as one of the
most revered and decorated Japanese composers of all time. His music is truly
iconic.

When I found out that he was personally conducting a “Music from Studio Ghibli”
event with the San Francisco Symphony, I KNEW I HAD TO ATTEND. To hear
music from various Ghibli films live from the SF Symphony is amazing on its
own…to see Joe Hisaishi conduct the orchestra and play himself is on a
completely different level. The performance happened earlier this month and I
am still beaming from that experience.

Towards the end of one of his final songs performed, on the projector screen
displayed this text, “I am so grateful to be here with you. We are back together
again. To my fellow music lovers, I wish you all the health and happiness in the
world.” – Joe Hisaishi

So many people from near and far united in the Davies Symphony Hall to share
in this experience. It’s amazing to see just how much a person who has mastered
their craft can do when they share it with others. And after some reflection, it
truly was a spiritual moment. This world that God created is bustling with rich
diversity, with fascinating cultures, and with people that have varying interests. It
was such a blessing to have been able to experience this once in a lifetime
moment. It is one I won’t ever forget.

God truly provided.