The Road to Emmaus

Over the weekend we attended Doug and Salwa’s wedding in Lodi. Doug is our neighbor’s most lovely and kind son.  It was a beautiful event and a peaceful weekend.  On Sunday while Joe was checking out of our hotel in Stockton, I was standing outside, enjoying the warm weather and sun on my face. There was a man that was walking towards me, small in stature, smiling as he passed, roughly 60 years old. As he passed we exchanged smiles, his was contagious and I was already filled with a joyful glow of a lovely weekend. After he passed and rounded the corner it dawned on me that perhaps He was Jesus. I recall another time in 2001, after mass at St. Catherine’s, a mysterious man approached, also with a smile and he handed me a book:  He and I, by Gabrielle Bossis, translated and condensed by Evelyn M Brown.  I have not thought about that day since just now, and I went to my bookshelf and I had kept this book. So many of my books I pass along, however this one I kept.  I had written in the front of the book, the date I received it and the name of the man who gave it to me: Dominus. I only know his name, as I had never seen him and thought he must be new to our parish and so I asked him his name as I thanked him for the book.  I never saw him again. It was as random as I am describing, a man, walks up hands me a book, I ask his name, He tells me  and then I never see him again. My good friend Pierre told me Dominus translated from Latin means Master.  This brings me to my insight for this blog:  were those two occasions my own road to Emmaus, where I spend a brief moment with Jesus and not realize it until later? Have you had an Emmaus experience?  OK, you won’t believe the end of this blog, as I was leafing through the pages of the book He and I, before returning it to my bookshelf, a book mark fell out, with this quote from St. Augustine: “and he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here.”

Love as our purpose

I'm inspired tonight to consider that my/our purpose is to love.  When doubts about life, career, family, passions, purpose and all of those deep questions arise about what I should be doing, where I should be heading, figuring out how to transform choices into something more meaningful, I remind myself, that for me it comes to one thing, my mission is to be loving.  While this is my blog, my place to share my thoughts, keep my on-line journal, this is one time when I truly believe that it is not just my purpose it is truly our purpose, to love.  At the end of this full day of meetings, calls, proposals, sales, and time with clients, family and friends, I say I am content for today I have loved, I felt loved, and I appreciate the love of all who I encountered in my life today.  This includes people with whom I work, family, friends, and those I met through chance/random encounters. I only wish for all to experience the daily loving that is happening even when we are unaware. Be aware, be present and feel the love.  Feel my love sent over the wires, through tweets, blogs, Facebook postings and my calls, letters, hugs and chance encounters. Sending love to all of you. PS If I died in this moment, all I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.

Choices

Life is a matter of choice. I have made many choices, never knowing what is right, just choosing one way or another. Tonight I reflect on some of the major choices I have made: choosing my husband, choosing my career, choosing where to live, choosing life, choosing priorities, choosing to work hard, choosing service, choosing simplicity, choosing forgiveness and above all choosing love.

Remain with Me, Stay here with Me, Watch and Pray

My mantra in meditation, "stay, remain," inspired by Lorraine Moriarty,  Executive Director for our beloved St. Vincent De Paul Society of San Mateo County, has led me to experience this very holy week in a deep and grace filled way.  My days are full, efficient and often fast paced and frenetic frequently causing me to miss the graced moments of life. This week I have slowed down, I have been present and have realized greater abundance in my interactions with everyone that I was truly present to by staying and remaining.  This quote from Meister Eckhart, "What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action," has great meaning for me this holy week. Specifically for me, this week my "stay" mantra has been so fruitful that I had to write and tell you.  So Remain with Me, Stay here with Me, Watch and Pray today on this Holy Thursday and see what opens for your life.

Light as a Feather

This has been my mantra in yoga for some time, light as feather.  I say it with passion and belief that whenever I am practicing yoga, I feel light as a feather.  Most recently, it has become something I am striving for in all areas of life, the feeling of life being light as a feather.  To achieve this beyond my yoga practice, takes commitment to:

choosing priorities,
creating efficiencies,
reducing spending,
minimizing stuff,
focusing on one thing at a time, and
seeing life as a prayer.

Choosing priorities is a matter of knowing what I value and therefore when opportunities and invitations come along, knowing when to say yes or no based on congruency with my values. Creating efficiency includes such things as using a bath towel more than once so I have fewer loads of laundry, or going through mail and eliminating junk and paying bills as opened.  Reducing spending enables less stuff coming into my home to put away, more savings for things I  truly value and being creative in the kitchen using leftovers.  Minimizing stuff, not hard for me, as I am known as the great purger of stuff, allows for less stuff to organize and manage.  Focusing on one thing at a time allows me to be present, create better experiences and be more effective.  Seeing life as a prayer makes my life intentional, seeking goodness and peace

Light as a feather, ultimately is a state of being where I am not weighed down by burdens that are fruitless.   Light as a feather is the feeling one can achieve through practicing simplicity.  Light as a feather is a way of being so that one has the capacity to help one another who's lives may not be
light as a feather.

"To be in hell is to drift: to be in heaven is to steer." George Bernard Shaw

In my reading this morning, this was a quote as part of a reflection on balance between busyness and solitude.  "To be in hell is to drift: to be in heaven is to steer." This resonated with me personally, professionally and in observing others who struggle.  Many years ago I was in limbo about a major choice to be married or not to someone I loved but was unsure of what I wanted. In the process of broken hearts, many tears and depression, I found my way through to the other side of that time. During this period of drifting, uncertainty and limbo, I recall that one of my mentors, Chris Perkins, told me, "leaders make difficult choices, and move forward, adjusting as necessary."  It was the advice I needed and was ready for and was life changing. I moved forward and have learned to make choices and steer my course in life. I have taken risks I would not have taken, opened doors that may have remained closed, built courage and in the process I have discovered that heaven is to steer your course.  As many of your know I regularly set personal, professional, fitness, financial and spiritual goals.  I don't always achieve them or keep them, however I review them often to steer my life back to the course I desire to create.  Dream, plan, steer and realize heaven is now.

No more coughing, yeah

For the past year I have had a persistent nagging cough. It began subtly and worsened as the year passed. I went to the doctor on several occasions and was finally referred to an allergist. She discovered inflamed bronchial area and prescribed something that has worked immediately. I still clear my throat a bit alas the cough as subsided.  I never realized how grateful I could be for being able to get through the day without a cough.  Today I celebrate breathing without coughing, persisting in my health care process and living in a place with access to good care.