Don't get me wrong, it was a fine read. And when I got to the chapter on Spiritual Reading, where it explicitly said sometimes you need to read things that don't always capture your utmost attention, I had to smile. I'm sure the book was good for me. However, if you've read other Hahn books, you may be a little disappointed.

One call to action I took from the book was to purchase a copy of Shorter Christian Prayer, an abridged version of the Liturgy of the Hours. I'd love to say I've started practicing the Liturgy of the Hours, but I haven't. I find it very hard to develop new habits, and I'm not sure where to begin. Now that I'm done with Signs of Life, I'll move Shorter Christian Prayer to the bedside and see if that gets me enough motivation to at least read the first 15 pages which outline the cycle and provide an introduction.

When I got the book, a friend told me he uses the book to help lead discussion when he gets together with some friends. They take turns picking a chapter, they all read it, then they discuss it for a few minutes before they move onto whatever other topics they want to cover. I think that's a fantastic idea. I did a similar exercise with a friend a few years ago using The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.

The Imitation of Christ also reminds me a bit of the writings of Thomas Aquinas. It's more due to the tone than the content. The Imitations of Christ is much more accessible than Aquinas - both in terms of subject matter and writing style. But the tone is both formal and informal at the same time - like Aquinas. The author almost engages you in a conversation and brings you along with him.

Fr. Glenn has been a pivotal character in my life, and probably the most influential person in me having any real understanding of the Catholic Church. He spent many (many) hours talking with me about life, religion, and philosophy. He provided me with council in my darkest hours. I owe a lot of who I am today to him.