Always, we begin again . . .

Always, we begin again. That’s what the towering figures of faith say about the spiritual life. The small figures say the same thing!

The pandemic took all of us in directions we did not expect. So many detours and roundabouts! In my case, just as the pandemic began, my husband and I became fulltime caregivers for our 10-month-old granddaughter who, along with her father, moved in with us. Suddenly we were back to baby gates and changing pads and all sorts of other accoutrements of early childhood, as the Little Girl moved from sitting to crawling to cruising to walking to running, all in about five seconds. Today she lives a few blocks away with her parents and older brother and goes to daycare/preschool, and we are gratefully still involved in all of their daily lives.

But, oh . . . the changes. I retired from parish ministry, returned for a part time call, and retired again. I watched as other retired friends purchased vans and camping equipment — the one sort of travel still safely available. I laughed with companions on Zoom as we grew bored with the same old leggings and tops, the endless reading and tv watching, the interior walls of our homes, and the steering clear of others on walks and in groceries. And, although the baby and toddler care took up most of my time, I also had the privilege of continuing to meet online with a few people seeking spiritual conversation and care.

Today I find myself launching a renewed effort to engage in spiritual direction. I’m filled with gratitude for those who have hung in there for the past three years, and eager to meet more of you, in person and on Zoom. (We’ve learned that geography is no real barrier, haven’t we?) So I’m updating everything that I do in that regard, including this website, and hoping to include a post or two every week. Let’s see where these next years take us!

Image: Algonquin Provincial Park ONT Trail