OneCenter

I’m not sure where to start. Ok, let’s start on May 3rd, the day I turned seventy…

This was a tough birthday, full of thought and the realization that if there were things left undone or dreams still needing to be fulfilled I’d better get with it. I have a family history of longevity but I know there are no guarantees. I hope to live a long life with plenty of reading and writing and gardening featured in. There are relationships that need to be developed, beautiful gifts from God just waiting to be opened. I know who they are.

In May I was heading into a summer filled with Carmelite things. Two trips and a retreat. A trip to Washington DC to visit Catholic University of America looking over the site of our next Lay Carmelite Convocation in 2025. A trip to Carmelite headquarters in Darien IL where I was attending and speaking at a “Into the Land of Carmel” retreat. And finally a personal retreat here in Northern California.

To be honest, I was tired, with stress building up on a daily basis. My job was consuming too much of my time and more importantly, thought. This was drawing me away from my personal time with God. Never a good thing! Important practices were drifting to the background. Frankly, I was on empty and I knew it.

As the summer went on I began to be refilled. Somehow, with each experience I encountered during the months of summer, I began to notice that I was becoming satisfied. Filled. I notice now that some unhelpful habits are fading away. And although I am leaving the summer months with profound questions, I bring them to quiet prayer waiting for answers. There are tears, yes, there are tears but the answer will come as it always does if I will but listen.

Cindy, Melody, and Kelley at “Into the Land of Carmel”