Visiting the Mountain

Just over four years ago I visited the sacred space of St. Mary-on-the-Lake, the west coast headquarters of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, for the first time. I was here for a vocation retreat and drove up one day early from Portland to get a feel for the place and meet some of the Sisters. Immediately I was enveloped by a deep sense of peace. Maybe it's the quiet of the buildings nestled on a hill among the trees. Maybe it's the wise contemplative women who live here - this is where many of our retired Sisters live. Maybe it was finding a group of people who felt called to pursue social justice as a path to peace. In any case, a part of me knew then that I was home, even though it took me a few months to figure out what that meant.

Well, for the first time I can now actually call this place home - for the next 3 to 6 months anyway! Yesterday I unpacked - both my suitcase and the shipping boxes I had sent ahead. Everything has its home in my new home, and my room is quite cozy! I caught up with the Sisters and felt immediately welcomed into the living community here. I cleaned out the car that I've been assigned which will take me to and from my place of ministry starting Monday. It was a busy but very good day.

After dinner (or more accurately supper - but the evening meal in any case), the combined effect of jet lag and the busyness hit me, so I decided to head for bed instead of joining the Sisters in the community room. But first, I went to visit the one place I hadn't yet been .... the lake. Yes, St. Mary-on-the-lake is in fact located on the shores of Lake Washington. We have this marvelous little dock down on the water with rocking chairs. As one of the Sisters I knew in New Jersey said to me the other day, "I haven't been there in years but I can still picture it just so in mind's eye in meditation." It's one of those places ... I'll try to post a picture here soon.

As I sat there taking in the wonder and joy of the moment, I looked over and there it was ... the Mountain was out for me! (Mt. Rainer that is). A perfect end to the perfect day!

Now, if I can just adjust to the time zone and not get up at 3:30 am I'll be content. ;)

PS - for those readers not native to the Pacific Northwest, "the mountain is out" is a term we use for those special moments on clear, sunny days (rather than the more common rainy/cloudy variety) when you can see the local member of the Cascade Mountain range. In Portland it was Mt. Hood (and occasionally Mt. St. Helens). Here in Seattle, it's Mt. Rainer and other mountain friends.