New Beginning

This will be a brief entry because it is already time for me to get back to work. I took a little break as I have been thinking about returning to this blog. The thing about writing is if you only think about it you never get it done!

So I begin trusting that there are some of you out there who will visit with me and explore with me.

It might seem that the world is in chaos but I do believe there are signs of hope and many people seeking a positive path. In much that I hear and read there seems to be an awareness of a need for change in our thinking. The people of whom I speak are not upholding the negative conservative aggressive thinking that fills the media, but a groundswell of people who are taking a serious a look at matters such as the new cosmology, evolutionary spirituality, and sustainability.

I am also exploring in my own life  Ecospirituality, Spiritual Landscape, and Legacy. There has been a lot of change and growth in myself, society and religion in my lifetime and some of it I have made sense of, much of it remains mystery (it probably always will). In these blogs I invite you to join me on this unfolding journey

Today's Thought: "All living beings are, so to speak, sparks from the radiation of God's  (the Creator's) brilliance. These sparks emerge from God (the Creator) like rays of the sun."
                                                                                                    Hildegard of Bingen (Scivias)

The Gift of Time

In a couple of weeks I will be leading a retreat at Pilgrim Heights, in Mountour, IA. It is a peaceful spot in which to give yourself the gift of time. Beautiful grounds with a variety of nature  trails, a lake, and a quiet energy that never fails to renew those who visit.  It carries the spirit of all those who have  gathered over the years for camp, family reunions, weddings and time alone to refresh their bodies and souls.

In our time together I hope to help each participant set aside for the moment the stress that often accompanies us through the day. To explore and awaken  in them the rich resources that can reset their compass for richer days ahead.

In my own life I find it so easy to get caught up in whatever difficulties and drama surround me each day that frequently I lose sense of who I am, and what am able to do and be.

We will guided in this time together with sources provided by two creative works by Sue Monk Kidd. We will watch the movie "Secret Life of Bees" in which fictitious characters reveal in their relationships the struggles of growing as human beings and developing friendships which gives them the capacity to offer sanctuary and time to heal. For reflection and discussion we will read "Firstlight" the author's own journey from work as a compassionate and caring nurse to writer.

Her insights and questions will I hope provoke in us the courage to confront some of the bold and ordinary questions we face daily.

For your reflection today I invite you to spend a few moments with this quote from "Firstlight".

"There are so many wonderful gifts I can give those I love, but the one that lingers when all others are gone, the one that knits  the brightest threads into life is the gift of time - the gift of one's self."

How might our lives be different if we allowed this concept to guide our life today. If you are reading this Blog I invite you to share your thoughts with us.

 

 





STARTUP

I was really amazed when I realized how long it had been since I lasted posted on my Blog. How could so much time possibly have passed without my noticing. During that time I certainly said to myself "today I should blog!" How easy is for "life" to take over and allow us to pass up what is important personally in order to carry out the daily routine.

Obviously when I last wrote in my blog I was at a busy frustrating place in my life - although I not aware of it! It was only when I returned to the page and read it that I realized, and wondered frankly "who is this person?"

I was jumpstarted into returning to this spot when a friend called and asked if it was OK to list my blog in a flier for an upcoming retreat that I am leading. I said yes and noted that it had been dormant for a while - I didn't realize how dormant until I came to my page and saw the date of the last post with shock,

So I caution my readers (and I hope I will have some) to give time everyday to things you love. Value the time you have each day and those things that nourish your soul and keep you connected. 

The retreat I am leading is based on writings by Sue Monk Kidd from her book "Firstlight" it includes some of her early writings, which explore her journey as writer and spiritual seeker.  We will also watch the movie "Secret Life of Bees" adapted from her first novel, and spend time together telling our own stories and enjoying some personal time  at our Sacred Space in Montour, IA.


Taking time for ourselves is of utmost importance, it reaffirms our value, restores our souls and helps us refocus. I hope you will visit me in the coming days and share your journey with me.

Weston Priory, VT  is a place in which I have taken time to restore my soul periodically since 1969. It is also a place in my mind to which I can return



 

 at any moment and find peace. I encourage each of you to cultivate such places in your life so that in your moments of stress you can breathe, close your eyes and transport yourself to that place in which your soul is restored.

Confused

I have been away from this Blog for awhile and I know before leaving I updated the new system. On my return I find the new system to be confusing. he tool bar doesn't give me all my options and I have to guess about some simple choices - where to choose font, color, size etc. I find no place that allows "insert" for a picture. Bloggers out there can you help me with this - the Blogspot help page was less than useful? I came here really wanting to get back in the groove, but at this point I think I might just close the Blog and move to another Blogging format with another provider. My time is valuable and I don't want to have reivent the wheel or be re-educated every time I return to post! Sorry if I sdound crabby I'm not just frustrated. I am going to post and see what happens. Have a great day friends and I will continue to look for a solution.

CHANGE

Change is all around us and for the most part I think it is good. Some days change frustrates me, and yesterday was such a day. I had a few spare minutes and thought I would come and blog, I am trying to be more consistent. When I came to my page I was informed that I need to choose Goggle Chrome as my web browser, very annoying. It took time for it to load, and I had others things to do and never did get to post. 


I don't object to change when it really improve things, and maybe this will I haven't had time to check it out yet. I find, however too often these days, the reason for change is simply to change. To keep people checking for something new, or to force people to use programs, and items they wouldn't otherwise use. So when I have time I look forward to discovering how the "new look" improves and aids me in my blogging.


I have been trying without success, to be more consistent in my blogging. I have a lot of ideas I would like to share with my readers, and I would like to expand my readers so that I can have some interaction with them on some of my reflections. It seems as if the "reason for change" might be one of them.


I work every day with the elderly and their families and I realize the many questions and decisions that need to be made by all of us as we progress toward that stage of life. From the best way to invest money for retirement, choose a retirement community, and how to accept the decisions our elderly parents make for their life, health and death issues. Then there is the matter of downsizing, reducing clutter, and living simply that others might simply live.


I have my own issues as I move into the "wise woman" category. What does it mean to embrace this new stage in life, what emphasis do I place on the outer and the inner manifestations of this stage?


If that is not sufficient, I continue my research and am trying to gather into a whole my work on people, communities and institutions that reinvent themselves. As you can tell my mind doesn't slow down much, and add to that my work and family time and like everyone else on this planet twenty four hours whirls by! 


I didn't mean to gripe in this blog but I seems to have done so, and so I apologize, but my mind is a little clearer now that it is out there. Amazing how a simple change can send a person into orbit. So much for my daily "mindfulness" approach to life - peace of mind, and living in the moment are hard to maintain. Shalom friends, thanks for listening.  

MorningLight

I sit in the morning light sipping coffee and wondering what the day will bring. I am not by nature a morning person but entering the world before dawn is gift. When I wake up early and settle myself in my chair, or step out on the balcony for a fresh breath of morning air I feel alive. I experience the bliss of solitude. The day will begin all too quickly and the opportunity to feel my oneness with the universe will be lost in the requests of the many.

I treasure time for reflection, but it is rarely available. I realize however much I may claim otherwise, it is mainly because I don't guard the opportunities offered me.  I have tried to understand why this is. The pull of the world around always seems to attract my attention even though I claim a desire for solitude. Why is that I choose the marketplace over the desert?


It is no doubt my ego that thrust me into the swirl and tumble of daily activity. A sense of self importance that believes I need to be talking, acting, doing for the good of humanity. Surely my contribution to society will make the world a better place? It just might be that my withdrawal might contribute something of more value. If I took the time to quiet my spirit I might be better able to listen and intuit the true needs of those around me.


For years I have pursued the theme of the "empty bowl" after hearing the Zen "Overflowing Tea" story. I resemble the university professor who came to the Master Nan-in seeking wisdom, but was too full of himself to receive anything from the great Master. I have reflected on the willingness of  the monk to live each day  on whatever others might place into the begging bowl  and accept that what is received is enough.


Everyday my bowl is filled to overflowing with the blessings that are poured into my life of word and action. I have an abundance of truth and wisdom and life's teaching laid at my feet everyday and still I am not satisfied, I continue to look for more. My cup is overflowing and I have not yet learned to empty myself so that I can be filled.


When I rise early in the morning I know what it is to welcome the world as an "empty bowl" but in just a few seconds I filled it to overflowing. Maybe today I will leave space for the gifts of others.

INTERRUPTIONS

I started out really well when I came back to blogging but life has again taken over. Today was much busier than I had planned. I was finishing a power point project for tomorrow and thought I would have time over. I had an unexpected visitor, one I was very glad to see, but that changed the  rhythm of my day. I have trouble adjusting to interruptions, even pleasant ones, and wonder how I ever brought up a family and worked full time as a pastor.

The problem with interruptions is the reason I find it difficult to write or even find time for blogging, because I want to make sure I have a block of time in which I am not disturbed. At present I am sitting in my husband's music office, no one knows I am here and he won't return for another 25 minutes!

I remember being amazed when I read in a review by Madeleine L'Engle years ago that she wrote at the kitchen table, in the hospital while her husband was sick, and virtually any place she found herself. Her power of concentration must have been tremendous! On the other hand Maya Angelou says she has a separate quiet space to write as did May Sarton. We are all different and must find our own style, and our own voice.

I'd be interested to hear how any one who reads my blog deals with interruptions.

Other People's Memoirs



My sons and myself

 For years I have been fascinated by autobiography, biography and memoir. I've contemplated writing in each format, and my life has certainly been filled with suitable characters and incidents, but my writing skill..? Other people's lives emerge from the pages like a Hollywood movie capturing me with the sights, sounds and smells of each event in every word. When I put pen to paper the words lie flat and trite on the page, like an out of focus black and white print from my youth.

My life has certainly not been boring! I have been blessed and cursed with my fair share of challenges, adventures, and moments of pure joy. I have witnessed a lot of history - world and personal. I have experienced the results of my folly and gained more than a snippet of common sense and wisdom over the years. The problem is that I don't seem to have the confidence to put it in writing even for my own amazement.

At present I am reading Robert Leleux's family memoir "The Living End" it is torturous and funny, reminiscent in places of my own journey and so far from anything I could imagine in other parts. I haven't tried to critique it because it might spoil the experience - I only know it has captured my heart. I would love the opportunity to spend an afternoon with the author. I don't often feel that way!

I began reading the book because I spend a good part of each day with elders and their families who are making their way through the maze of dementia and Alzheimer's. Each day brings a degree of apprehension because the one they love is disappearing and a new person is developing. We tend to see this in negative terms, as loss and not gain, but Robert Leleux offers a fresh perspective, realistic but hopeful. He allows for the fact that what is happening to his beloved grandmother is not necessarily as bleak as we often make it, but that for her at least, there is an unexpected freedom of spirit.

I am grateful for writers who allow me a peak at a different reality because they are willing to be vulnerable and write what they know and feel with honesty and integrity.

Lent - I'm back blogging

When I decided to begin blogging again I couldn't believe that my last Blog was in 2010. Where did the last year go?

I have no reason to believe that anyone who read my blog in the past will be mildly interested in anything I have to say at this point! I will however follow my desire to write again. If anyone reads and responds I will be delighted, if not I will at least have begun the process.

What kept me from this page was life - and death! 2011 presented a great many challenges with a busy work schedule and a busy life. Working with those who are dying and their families enriched my life but ate up my free time. While serving as chaplain in my own facility I began working with Hospice while they sought a new chaplain. It didn't seem I would be adding much to my schedule, and in some ways I didn't, but I did find my focus was directed in ways other than my own personal pursuits. Life now has settled into a slightly more balanced cycle and thus I hope to spend some time on personal reflection and comment.

The photo above is from the trip we had to Gethsemani Abbey, Kentucky in 2010 it seemed a suitable image with which to begin my Lenten journey. As J. Philip Newell says "From God we came to God we shall return" words I find comforting since my personal journey through life has zig-zagged along many a varied path. Some of those paths I am sure were not sanctioned by God, but that in God's mercy I survived and my feet returned sometimes hesitantly and sometimes thankfully to the path. In a way returning to the blank page feels much like placing my feet back on the path, what lies before me is unknown and I will relish what opens up before me.

So far the first steps on the path of Lent this year have been a failure in terms of the lofty plans and disciplines I had designed for myself. Humbling but exhilarating I am aware that forgiving myself and getting back on a simpler path is all I need for the moment. In the past I would have beaten up on myself and focused on the ways in which I sabotaged my life, at this point I can say "O Wise One - so what did you learn?" This week I will be more gentle with myself and I guess that given past experience the journey will be be more fruitful.

The following Haiku is about a stone I picked up on one of my walks. It sits amidst my collection of stones. I choose this as another symbol for my journey.

                  A promise hidden

                  Journey stone, humbly received

                  White, smooth, gently held.

May I receive my Lenten Path as gift.

Repetition

I don"t know what really got me thinking about repetition, but I found scribbled notes on a brown paper bag related to the topic in the center of my desk. Obviously sometime in the last week or so, when I have been very busy, repetition played on my mind. The notes were covered with a stack of papers, and were obviously so important at the moment that I placed them "front and center." Today I look at them and wonder!

I don't like repetition, I am not an orderly soul, and yet I realize that there are many daily tasks that are required and necessary, and are definitely repetitious. Actually, now I remember, I was cleaning the kitchen after supper and sputtering about the fact that so much of what happened every day was repeated over and over again.

Whether we like it or not, repetition is an important part of daily life. It is a skill to be mastered gracefully. Make the bed. Brush your teeth. Do the dishes. Dust the furniture. Pick up books, papers, shoes.....the list goes on. I remember my son Stephen struggling with the nature of repetition as a second grader. School for him was painful, it required the same daily rituals. One night after a particularly frustrating day he said "Mom why do we have to write our numbers over and over? " My answer, now I realize not very satisfactory,  was something to the effect: "Your teacher wants to make sure you know them." "But Mom, when I have done them right for four pages, doesnt she know that?" Had I been wise enough maybe I could have shared with him the fact that indeed life is filled with repetition. Maybe those early exercises actually have little to do with learning shapes, or math or spelling - maybe they have more to do with preparation for the rest of our life.

I have been fortunate that in my profession as pastor and chaplain there is a great deal of variety in the content of my daily work, even though the overall schedule may look repetitious. No two people every present exactly the same spiritual journey. The scriptures for worship and preaching, while coming from a three year lectionary may seem to contain repetition, in reality they always spring fresh from the page. As I pray the Daily Office, again it may look very similar day to day, month to month or year to year, but what I bring to it, and what I experience in reflection and silence is always different.   

In recent years I have been working on "mindfulness" and that has taught me to realize that even the simple repetitive tasks of daily living, if done mindfully always reveal something new, about myself or the task. For example when I bring all of myself to the slicing of carrots for supper, I notice the richness of the deep orange color, the circles in each slice, the texture and smell. This can connect me with the farmer who grew them, the rain and the sun that swelled the seed and caused it's growth, the amazing fact that the universe supplies us with such an abundance of different foods to choose from. These thoughts can make me aware of  the need for protection of diversity into our world, and the need to live in ways that foster sustainability. All of this from slicing a carrot!

There are times when I find comfort in a repetitive tasks.  Whether I see their benefit or not they remain  a part of the life cycle. As we watch the season change from summer to fall, and move soon to winter, we witness the repetition from life to death to life. It is in the fallow times, when repetition seems arduous that the unseen seeds are germinating, sprouting,  waiting for the right moment to spring to life. May I learn to be patient with my imagination and my soul. May I be willing to stick with a routine whether I see its purpose or not, so that in time I might harvest the fruits that will surely grow.

Blogging Time

I am standing at the kitchen counter waiting for the oven to preheat. You might ask why, or maybe you don't care! I am doing it because every day I say "today I will Blog" bedtime comes and I haven't Blogged. It isn't that I don't have a lot to say, because I have done quite a bit of reflecting in the last month.  I have had some great oppotunities to share with different people in different settings, but I haven't yet put it in writing. Potatoes are in the oven! I am aiming at a concerted effort to Blog regularly.

For most of my life I have dreaded the fall. I used to live in New Hampshire where thousands of people would come to see the fall foliage "leaf peepers" we called them. It always fascinated me and cynically I would say, "they spend hundreds of dollars and hours in driving time  to look at a bunch of dead leaves. At home when the leaves on their plants turn yellow they throw them out". I truly found very little fascination in fall foliage, for me it heralded the grey wet days of October and the impending snows of November before the real winter settled in. So what has changed? In the last two weeks I have been to Our Sacred Space on two occasions, once to lead a retreat and the second time to take our Residents for a Day Away, both times I enjoyed the beauty of the changing leaves, the first sight of my breath in the cold morning air, and the crackling of logs in the big stone fireplace. It seems that as I become more content with myself and accept that change is an integral part of every moment of everyday that I not only accept but enjoy the subtle changes both in the elements and in myself.

I'd like to continue this Blog but my husband just came home from a trip, and it is time to get the rest of dinner under way... unfinished business awaits!

AUGUST ALREADY! ALMOST GONE!

 It seems quite incredible to me that today is August 10, 2010! I began this Blog September 20, 2009, not knowing really how it would go, or what I was doing – maybe still don’t! I viewed it as the beginning of the journey toward my 70th year. My goal to gain some writing discipline that would help me document October 2010-2011. I like to write and never seem to have time, but I know the only way to have time is to make time, so that was my objective. I looked forward to sharing and maybe even exchanging some thoughts with people through the Blog and that has happened both by email and personal conversation. My outreach is small and that is fine, although I am open to more contact with those who share my interests. I have gained boldness and confidence in putting my thoughts out where others can view them at will, something that was always difficult for me. It has never been clear how I can be comfortable speaking in public and yet panic about seeing words on a page. Any other bloggers have that problem? I know there are people who write beautifully and panic at public speaking, so maybe it is a natural phenomenon.

 

I continue to explore Haiku, it feels good, is easier to complete than a sonnet or some other poetic form, and expresses my enjoyment and relationship to the natural world. This summer has provided a number of amazing experiences in the tamed wild. I think it maybe that my awareness is heightened through meditation and that the opportunities were always there. I have been left breathless by the beauty of the skies with the strange weather patterns that have been passing through the Midwest. A pair of Cardinals has charmed me with their daily bathing in the small waterfall that is below our balcony. At times I feel like an intruder as they splash and preen with each other. I visit my favorite Heron spot and have been privileged to witness the arrival of a Trumpeter Swan for a brief stay – these are just a few of the many gifts that the universe has opened to me in these warm summer days. Below is a picture of the Black-Eyed Susan that bloom in profusion in the gardens surrounding our community, their bright colors and nodding heads inspired me.

                         Garden of Sunshine 
                         Black-Eyed Susan nod their heads
                         Summer soon will end.

 

                                                                      - August 8, 2010 CAT

 

 

Catching up 2!

Catching up? I think I need to look at things differently, catching up seems impossible. I think that I should accept the fact that what I do is what I do. Living in the present, mindfully,  is valuable and I think it might be time for me to adopt this practice.

Over the years I have sought to attain "mindfulness",  to focus my attention on what is happening right now. For example as I Blog instead of letting my mind blast off in a thousand directions like a large Roman Candle on the 4th of July, I need to focus on my writing. Feel the keys under my fingers, how they fit gently into the slight hollow the engineer designed to make using the keyboard a more pleasant experience. How with each letter there is indeed, as my husband claims, a click clack of noise. How a moment too long pressing on the keys produces more letters to the word than belong there. How a brief distraction can change the thought being transferred to the page and take the piece in a totally different direction. I need to shape and form the words and sentences into a well crafted piece of writing. Instead.......?

How hard it is to focus. Mindfulness is a practice, and as such it calls for dedicated attention. I have long attributed to myself the name "Butterfly" brain, in any minute I can probably flit through 20 to 50 thoughts. Centering Prayer has helped enrich my meditation time. I have learned over the years not to "catch" the thoughts but let them go, but at other times I tend to follow the the thoughts wherever they lead, even when they lead me far from my orginal path. At one level I appreciate this because it gives me lots of creative ideas, at another level it is very frustrating because it sometimes makes completing a project a much longer process than I anticipated.

If you came to this Blog anticipating that "Catching up 2!" would have filled you in on what has happened in my life recently I apologize, but I thank you for allowing me to explore where I am in the process. I read somewhere a number of years ago that Blogging helped you to find your "voice". For me Blogging is sometimes, like today, an opportunity to discover that nothing of consequence is filling my thoughts today.

Catching up!

In the last week several people have mentioned to me that they read my Blog and are waiting for a new posting. I checked back and couldn’t believe that I hadn’t written anything since May 12. So much for blogging my trip! We had a wonderful time with many interesting and enlightening experiences, and hopefully eventually they will filter into this space.



The rich tapestry of persons and places that filled my days after May 12, were emotionally and spiritually absorbing. At the end of each day I found myself in deep reflection and often Bill and I fell into silence. I have not yet found adequate contemplative time to sift through notes and pictures and put them into words. What I can say is that Berea, Gethsemani Abbey and New Harmony are sacred spaces that profoundly touched my soul.

Soon after I returned from vacation, a close friend of mine died. She was the person who encouraged my writing, and as we shared in conversation she helped me shape my thoughts. I have not yet had time to process that loss, it was profound at many levels.

I have many projects on my plate at the moment, all exciting and challenging, so life is good! If my blog readers will indulge me I am going to try to discipline myself by writing a little every day – even if it is not of great value, or great writing - because I believe that the more I (we?) write the more clarity I (we?) have in our thinking and writing. I would appreciate your comments and sharing on any and all subjects, as you have the time. It is good to know that I have companions on the journey.

My latest haiku below was inspired by my visit to Gethsemani Abbey, in Kentucky.

Daybreak

Mist over the trees

Diamond dew grass under foot

A new day dawning.

Weston West Virginia

We managed the DC traffic this morning well and arrived in Weston early afternoon. It rained most of the way, and then when we entered WV there were thunder showers. Stopped by the Glass Museum and got a few pics, the museum however was closed. Warmed up with a cup of coffee and pie at Second and Chance Cafe, a neat little place simple but high tech, a real surprise - even get a deal if you are a fan on Facebook - thought that was a good PR move.

By accident we discovered the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (no I am not being politically incorrect!) - an amazing museum that documents the history of this institution from 1885 through its closure in 1994. It is a true time capsule and its docents are friendly and well informed. This experience helps one to put in perspective just how far we have come in our care of the mentally ill,  handicapped, and elderly as well as those with TB, HIV and post-traumatic stress disorder. It was a complete medical facility on 650 acres, desired to address the whole person. Dr. Kirkbroad believed that the cure of mental illness was fresh air, sunlight, and activity - a good beginning to finding a cure, however the journey through shock therapy, and lobotomies that followed shows the dark side of the early years. Weston developed as a community around the Asylum, people moved there for work and at one time the population was 9000, it  is now around 4000. The Asylum housed at the high census 2600 in 965 rooms. The patients therapy was work: they cooked, cleaned, did laundry, worked in the gardens, and the local coal mine. Hired staff were medical, office and supervisory. The Asylum has been featured on "Ghost Busters" and many articles have been written about it. It is the second largest limestone building in the world, the Kremlin is number one!  It was built by German and Irish immigrant stone masons.

The  impact of this visit hasn't yet registered with me, but it was very powerful and as I digest it I think in time it will find its way into my writing. The day ended with a great steak and salad dinner and homemade bread pudding. Tomorrow we journey to Milton WV to Blenko Glass and onto Berea KY.  

DC Visit

We have had a very good week visiting family and getting around the DC area. It was great fun reacquainting ourselves with our granddaughter and children -good conversation and good food. Serena is growing into a wonderful young lady with lots of energy and ideas.

A trip to IKEA could have inspired us to refurnish a whole new apartment but we resisted! I did find a chair that I might have to have! It was especially good to be in an international setting, I had forgotten how energizing it was to hear a mixture of foreign languages being spoken in casual conversations around one.

We were treated to a great performance of the Shakespeare Theater’s production of “The Liar” by Pierre Corneille, translated and adapted by David Ives. It was fast paced, funny and well acted. . If you are in the DC area try to get tickets, it is atr the Lansburgh Theater, and if not for this at least another of the Shakespeare Theater productions, you will not be disappointed.

Make sure you visit Jaleo for a meal, it is part of the ThinkFoodGroup brainchild of chef/owner José Andrés (recently interviewed on 60 minutes). A native of Spain, he has introduced the American public, very successfully to Tapas and other delightful Spanish cuisine. Tapas are small servings of many traditional dishes. We each ordered three or four dishes from the menu and then enjoyed tasting them all. The dishes ranged from a plate of assorted cheeses, a wonderful dish with spinach, pine-nuts, chopped apples and raisins (going to try and reproduce this at home), grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce, grilled shrimp with sautéed garlic, asparagus with red pepper sauce, hanger steak with piquillo peppers, spicy chorizo wrapped in crispy potato, seared trout wrapped in Serrano ham, and several more, the whole meal was coupled with a great Spanish wine. Not to be resisted were the decadent desserts, we settled on Flan, Chocolate Torte, Cranberry Sorbet and White Chocolate and Raspberry Ice Cream.

Mother’s Day was a real treat with a trip to the National Arboretum to view the Azaleas and the Bonsai Exhibit. We enjoyed a picnic by the reflecting pool, fed the Koi and wandered back to the car through the herb garden.

The weather has been beautiful until today when it rained allowing us to do laundry and pack ready to hit the road tomorrow.

We have been with family now since Wednesday and the time has gone really quickly. Serena our granddaughter is a delight. I know every grandparent says that, mainly because it is true and allowed. We have had great fun. We have managed to adjust to DC traffic which is quite an accomplishment having come from Grinnell, IA. It is amazing how quickly you lose your city driving edge, fortunately like bike riding it comes back quite quickly. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, sunny and cool, no humidity, We had a lot of fun yesterday in IKEA could have bought up the store, and had to keep reminding ourselves that we are now retired, have all the furniture and household ware we need. saw a couple of thing we may have to go back for before we leave, fortunately it is close by. We did restrain ourselves and "let's think about it!" Bill had went clothes shopping, there is not much choice where we live, and he got pants, ties and his favorite brand of sock - he is happy. Today we go into the city for theater and dinner so there will be much to write about tomorrow, for now enough

Day 2 May 4

Another beautiful sunny day to travel.  The fields of Illinois are beginning to sprout green which gives them a strange almost impressionistic appearance. As soon as we crossed into Indiana the land became hilly, gentle curves to the earth and a fresh greenness everywhere.

Traveling I-70 in Ohio, flanked on either side by suburban homes, I wondered about "average" daily life. Each family is unique in its coming and goings, dreams yet to be realized, and fantasies fallen away. Do they ever look up from playing in the yard, or weeding the garden and wonder where everyone is going at such a speed. Do other drivers on the highway look at these homes and send up a brief prayer (as I did) for the inhabitants, or wonder if they are making it in this fragile economy? How small our personal worlds are? What a narrow focus we have! What is happening in the lives of the millions of human beings who share our universe? How do my decisions, actions and choices impact their lives?

We stopped at a truck stop for gas and were tempted by an old fashioned hot dog bar, we did not resist and thoroughly enjoyed a hot dog with mustard, onion and relish - the first in probably ten years! I trust it didn't wreck my diet!

Traveling through the treelined hills of Ohio I was dive bombed by my first butterfly of summer, a yellow swallow tail, I think, it wasn't hurt and flew off oblivious.

Making our way through Wheeling West Virginia we arrived in Pennsylvania where we stopped for the night. It was a great travel day and blessedly uneventful. Tomorrow we head to Maryland where we will reacquaint ourselves with our grand-daughter (and of course our kids) we are looking forward to our  visit!

Day One Vacation

Leaving for vacation on a bright sunny cool morning. Our first stop, sort of a travel ritual is at Casey’s for gas, coffee and a doughnut which we share. It signals for us a different pace, We say our traveler’s prayer and we are off to commune with one another, our Creator and the creation,

The fields along I-80 lie prepared, rich brown soil awaiting the sun and rain to burst the seed, send down roots and push sprouts to the surface. Contented cattle graze on rich green grass while others bask in the warmth of the sun. The traffic whizzes by, our 70 mph speed not being sufficient for their journey, but ample for us.

The Thomas Merton quote from Terry Hershey’s blog today was perfect:“Everything has already been given. What we need is to live into it.” It is certainly what I believe, and in my best moments try to live. This mirrors for me the whole concept of vacation. It is a time to rest on the journey; to store up memories and experiences that will refresh the spirit so that one can return to the normal routine renewed. To this end I usually try to plan a vacation that reconnects me with friends and family and includes opportunities that stretch my mind and imagination.

For lunch we stop at the Jubilee Café, Kickapoo, IL. One of Illinois’ best kept secrets. The food is always good, the same waitresses we had on our first visit seven years ago and continues to be “cash only”. We were introduced to it by Fr. Gabriel a monk from St. Bede Abbey in Peru, IL. The main attraction for him, beside it’s good mid-western fare, is the homemade gooseberry pie served with vanilla ice cream. Sound strange? It is amazing! The tartness of the gooseberry, mouthwatering short pastry crust offset by the creamy sweet vanilla flavor has to be savored to be believed. The blue cheese dressing on their salad is another must!

Fully satisfied by a good meal, good memories and of course pie, we set off along Interstate 74 with its unremarkable scenery. Unremarkable that is until we stopped briefly and encountered a display of photographs by artist Larry Kanfer. His work lifts up the IL country side from “unremarkable” to significant as he reveals the magnificence of prairie and farmland. His words and images changed immediately my view of the the panorama along the highway. Where before it was flat and ordinary now I saw it’s depth and uniqueness. I saw the way in which earth and sky met on the distant horizon in creative union. As a storm brewed I no longer saw flat boring strips of land but unencumbered skyscapes, roiling clouds, rippling furrows, and resting cattle.

Following the storm the sky burst forth with ascension images, pockets of light reaching down to earth - only the figure of Christ absent.

Preparing for the Journey

I woke this morning early and reminded myself that I didn’t need to rush, I don’t have a Sunday School Class and can therefore take my time, I turned over and didn’t get up until 6:45, I felt quite guilty. I lay in bed listening to the small waterfall that splashes into the koi ponds, felt the cool fresh dry air from the window gently blowing across the bed and gave thanks to God for a beautiful new day.


As I write I wait for the coffee to brew and already feel like my vacation has begun. Today will involve a last visit for 17 days to the Health Center to check on residents. Next the packing will have to be accomplished and then the mini panic as I go through the unnecessary ritual of worry might/could go wrong on the trip. After stated that here maybe I can skip that this trip!

I am very excited about the trip it has taken the usual planning and includes a variety of places that cover the interests of both Bill and myself. Not only will there be visits with family in Silver Springs and sightseeing in DC but on our return trip we visit West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana. We will explore history, glass making, bonsai, Appalachian crafts and education, utopian communities, railroads and rivers. We will drive through country we have not experienced before and relax and renew ourselves spiritually. Each time I prepare a trip I anticipate the adventure and the wonder that within the borders of the United States there is such variety of landmass, culture and people. I trust we will explore with open eyes, minds and hearts all that is offered us in the coming days. I believe every well planned journey is a pilgrimage, where we encounter the sacred spaces of life and land. I am ready for this adventure.