Emily Buyse C.S. Lewis Dr. Root October 28, 2013 Surprised by Joy Somethin th!t h!

s been ! theme in my own li"e recently is the im#ort!nce o" re"lection. $o% h!s been te!chin me l!tely throu h my &uiet time, !n% throu h my mentor how 'ey moments in our #!st will im#!ct our "uture inter!ctions with others !n% e(en $o%. )s * write this * "in% mysel" %es#ite !ll the re"lectin * h!(e %one on my #!st still %isco(erin connections. * im! ine !s Lewis wrote Surprised by Joy, this too w!s his e+#erience. * !m sure !s he w!s "orce% to reh!sh !n% then recor% me!nin "ul e(ents he c!me to new re!li,!tions !n% new"oun% %e#ths o" his inner bein . * thin' o" my own li"e to%!y !n% * loo' where * stru le the most with sin, wh!t

S!t!n !ttem#ts to use !s ! "oothol% in my li"e, !n% * "in% th!t it o"ten #!r!llels my #!st e+#erience. Simil!rly, * re!% !bout Lewis- stru les in his e!rly chil%hoo% le!%in to the in!bility

to "eel true .oy !n% e(en to truly un%erst!n% $o%. On #! e 21 Lewis %i(ul es into his e!rly belie"s o" $o% !s best !s he c!n remember !n% he m!'es the com#!rison to $o% !s ! m! ici!n. *n other wor%s, $o% woul% sim#ly %is!##e!r !"ter /e h!% %one wh!t w!s re&uire% o" /im 0211. 2his (iew o" $o% c!n be tr!ce% b!c' to his e!rlier ye!rs th!t were sh!#e% by his mother-s %e!th, which !s ! boy he belie(e% w!s the c!use o" un!nswere% #r!yers !n% the l!c' o" ! mir!cle. )"ter this e+#erience Lewis- "!ther w!s b!sic!lly non3e+istent4!n% when he w!s !n emotion!l time bomb, this w!s most li'ely ! hu e contributor to Lewis- !theist (iew#oint l!ter in his li"e. *t w!s interestin to re!% !bout Lewis- .ourney o" re"lection throu h his !utobio r!#hy bein th!t h!s been ! tren% in my own li"e4le!rnin how %ee# the sc!rs o" #!st e+#erience c!n be whether notice!ble or yet to be %isco(ere% they !re #resent.