Saturday, September 25, 2021

Dearest God,

Today I am thinking of the Carmelite community of nuns that I spent 18 years with every Wednesday morning.  They taught me many life lessons.  By example and practice they displayed compassion, forgiveness, wisdom, insight, silence, patience, faith and peace.  Perhaps their greatest gift to me was contemplation.  

Contemplation...waiting, looking inside and outside, quieting one's self, surrendering, opening, listening, reflecting, waiting some more, showing gratitude and thanksgiving.  Contemplation gave me a path to step inside myself to find you and a vast new world where hope rises up, beauty is everywhere, love anoints every hallway and space, non-threatening challenge, the most incredible peace, a sense of belonging and sacred friendship that goes on and on and on.  There are openings all over where we can enter and depart, enjoy fellowship with the Holy One and even dance among the stars, moon and planets.  It is a welcoming place for all who seek.  Contemplation invited me in and there I learned to dwell, learn, breathe, drink and eat holy food.

As I consider all you have given me, today I give thanks for the blessed Carmelites whose faith, love and joy spilled out and over me and still do.

Loving God,

thank you

for all

your generous gifts.

Thank you

for the 

Carmelite sisters

who gave me

so much.

I will

always remember

and give thanks.

Love, Andrea