Many aspects of my Navy training were about preparing for the unexpected—fire drills, uniform inspections, and man overboard drills. Each one is designed to help those training in the Navy to respond quickly and efficiently when things go wrong. Just last week, while sitting along the Severn River, the sound of six short blasts on a ship’s whistle pulled me right back to those drills. The Man Overboard call. It all came flooding back—the urgency,…
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Leave a CommentAs we sat at the breakfast table on the last day of our eight-day silent retreat, the silence was now broken, and we had the opportunity to connect with each other before leaving. One of my fellow retreatants asked those of us sitting at the table, What’s the theory behind silence? She was self-admittingly brand new to this idea, and it was such a heartfelt and honest question. One person explained that silence allowed one to hear…
1 CommentEvery Saturday, we were out in the yard. My father would make his work list on a yellow legal pad, listing the chores and the work party leaders—the elder siblings included myself and my next-in-line brother Tom. Yard work entailed sweeping porches, picking up trash along our road, mowing lawns, pulling the grass out of the sidewalk cracks, and edging. But the one job that we all dreaded was weeding our rose beds, and weeding…
3 CommentsI did it again—I planted seeds. And as much as it seems like an invitation to failure, I put those seeds in the ground. Starting is easy, but seeing it through is the real challenge. Why do I keep planting when I know I will need to focus on this effort for the next few months? The blossoms’ beauty outweighs the daily gardening maintenance, so I persist. When the light lengthens and the day warms,…
Leave a CommentMany of you are aware that I’ve been pursuing my education. I’m nearing the completion of a certificate in spiritual direction this month. The question I’ve encountered most frequently is, “What exactly is spiritual direction?” It’s a genuine question, understandable given the somewhat authoritative sound of the term “director.” As I began offering spiritual direction, I noticed a common misconception among those pursuing spiritual direction. They often expected answers from me, whereas my role primarily…
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