Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Nearness of You

Today's title refers to a lovely song that reminds me of a good friend of mine who is currently in Australia. She and I are working on a book project together (about Australian theater, TV, radio and film acting industry via the legacy of one particular family), so she's there doing interviews and researching. Last weekend she spent with me and we had a marvelous time going to the Mojave Desert, Huntington Gardens and Museum, interviewing Nick Tate for our book, and generally enjoying each others' company. My friend is from Ottawa, so we rarely see each other. I will see her again on her way back through L.A. to Ottawa.



Let's see, what else... I started working at Holy Family High School College Preparatory earlier this month. This is an all-girls school, and for the moment I am supporting the Admissions/Development person, who is all about getting scholarship money for girls who would otherwise not be able to attend. They will probably be moving me around in the administrative capacity, and I am pushing for them to let me tutor writing. I can't say how wonderful it is to be fully expressive of my spirituality at work! Prayers in the morning, a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament in the building, Crucifixes and statues of the Virgin Mary in every room. It feels so natural to me, and it's another confirmation that I've been a round peg living in a square hole for too many years.

For now, I am part-time, until July 1, then it will go full time. So I'm using this easy schedule to get some writing done, and have a bit of a summer. Speaking of which, I'll be spending the 2nd weekend of June in Massachusetts to attend my good friend Rachel's wedding on the Cape. Lovely!

This weekend, I am going to spend a couple of days with the Carmelites of San Diego, a cloistered monastic community. Hey, if I'm going to explore religious life, I need to explore ALL of it! God is leading me somewhere, of that I am certain. The adventure is discovering where, and in the process learning more and more about my own spiritual path. The right fit will 'click,' I am certain as I continue to deepen this journey of faith. I have also put out some feelers in the direction of Benedictine monastic life, which wouldn't be cloistered, but would rather be contemplative with the dimension of that Benedictine hospitality and creating sacred space for people to go on retreat. This holds immense attraction for me.

Well, here's another Ella and Louis tune to leave you with. "Tenderly" - how our God loves every one of us, and has forever! My experience of His Love has been and remains more exquisite than any earthly lover's affection.





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