Following the path of the Spiritual Exercises, Lord eloquently expresses gratitude and praise; acknowledges his complete dependence on God; confesses the constant repetition of the same boring sins; and reflects on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But this is no ordinary retreat companion. Lord’s originality and lively imagination shine through as he reflects on the beauty of a hyacinth, compares himself to a goldfish in a bowl, and pictures the scene of himself standing before God in judgment.