When we drove up to west coast groovy sister hq on Friday morning, my senses took in the green-ness and height of the beautiful trees and the glimpses of Lake Washington peaking through. I was struck not by the thought that I missed this place but by a surprising feeling ... like I had JUST been here. Now keep in mind, it had been over six months since I'd stepped on this sacred ground, but the feeling was geniune.That feeling is something I want to record, hold onto and take to prayer. There's a lot packed into it that I'll be reflecting on for some time I think. It will be good to come back to on those inevitable days when I miss my west coast brand of groovy sisters or when I long for home. Whenever it is that I next return, it will probably again seem like I was just here.
We head back to New Jersey in the morning and start back at our classes on Tuesday. This short trip west has been a wonderful homecoming. An opportunity to reconnect, to see ailing Sisters, to participate in community discussions about our future, and to remember what it was like the first night I stayed here for a vocation retreat and thought maybe, just maybe, this group was for me.
This morning as I headed to the main building for breakfast, there was a light gentle mist. I stopped in my tracks and smelled the fresh air. I looked up at the trees. Listened to the birds. I hope to return to them soon, whenever that is.
4 comments:
Happy St. Joseph Day. You will find the same peacefulness at St. Marys always, after all it is a place of prayer and closeness to God. I've found that even after many years away.
I hope you had a smooth trip back to the east. It's really great to see you.
We are in fact home safe & sound. We left spring to return to winter however, even though spring officially starts tomorrow.
Jim Tenney used to talk about how his music changed, based upon where he lived. One of the things I picked up from the Dominicans at my parish is how stability's more of an internal thing, they being mendicants. Seems like they embody the line by Timothy Leary, "Keep in touch and be at home everywhere." Thinking of the places that were "home" at the time, and how they aren't now, I wonder what Seattle will be like in a few years.
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