Contemplative Haven

For anyone having difficulty in the forgiveness department, here’s a lovely non-denominational site brought to my attention by my friend Kristin.  From the Fetzer Institute, it is called The Campaign for Love and Forgiveness, and offers ideas and inspiration on such things as practicing, teaching, and starting conversations.  Its mission is to “combine public television programming, community activities and events to encourage contemplation and conversation about how love and forgiveness can effect meaningful change in individuals and society.”

I can’t vouch for everything on this site (you’ll see quotes in the sidebar from everyone from Thomas Merton and St. Teresa of Avila to Cher and Lana Turner!), but it appears to be a place of quiet reflection and encouragement.  Click on the “Create a Garden” link for example and scroll down; I think you’ll find some great ideas. 

Have a wonderful day, and don’t forget the famous words of Lao Tzu:

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”  :) 

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Does it get any better than this (creaturely-speaking)… a Mother’s Day drive away from the city after having had a lovely lunch, and coming upon a “Book Barn”.  Yes, one of those humongous venues filled with second-hand books; the kind of place that would take months to properly and lovingly investigate.

Hubby proferred a weak, “take your time”, bless his heart, which I know from experience means approximately fifteen minutes.  Generally speaking, when deposited in a store by my husband, after fifteen minutes I either turn my head and find his body splayed up against the window, tapping emphatically on his watch, or I spot him lumbering through the store with a mixed air of intense anguish/fear as he hunts me down.  So I scrambled around and within the allotted “take your time”, ferretted out the following (all hardcover), for a grand total of $6.00 : 

1. Thomas Hardy’s “Tess D’Urberville” (yes, in French)
2. “The Prophet”, by Kahlil Gibran
3. A book of poems by D.H. Lawrence entitled “Pansies”, and I’m pretty sure it’s a 1st edition
4. “The Oxford Book of American Verse”
5. “Madame Bovary”, by Gustave Flaubert (front and back covers are floral, which leaves me wondering whether it was like that originally or did a certain Mrs. R. [previous owner, 1945] do that herself with wallpaper?)  In any case, I’m leaving it, because it’s pretty…
6. A 1943 Random House edition of Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”, illustrated with wood engravings; the front and back covers have Heathcliff leaning up against a very scary-looking tree as he gazes skyward.

One of the things I like best about second-hand books is that you never know what you’ll find inside.  I always leave that until I get home, because it’s such a thrill for me when I discover something and I don’t like to alarm the salespeople.  On this occasion I discovered a piece of paper inside Gibran’s “The Prophet” - narrow pale-blue paper, about the width of a large bookmark, on which was written a grocery list, probably that of Mr. or Mrs. M. [previous owners, 1971].  The list was so healthy (tomatoes, Spanish onions, turnips, lettuce, potatoes, radishes, squash, peas, beans, carrots and cucumbers).  Oh, doesn’t that sound like a heavenly summer grocery list?  Now, it has just occurred to me that this might not have been a grocery list - it might have been a list of things they were going to plant in their garden.  Heavenlier and heavenlier. 

Several years ago I purchased a second-hand copy of St. Teresa of Avila’s “Selected Writings”, and inside I found a two-page old-fashioned typewritten synopsis of all her works, with concise comments about each.  But my absolute favourite find was when, shortly after I had begun blogging, I happened upon a second-hand copy of Thomas Merton’s biography by Michael Mott.  Inside, to my delight, was the business card of a seamstress, and in beautiful italics the words:  Especially for You, by Gabrielle.  Of course it would have been even better if it had said “Especially for You, Gabrielle”, but it didn’t matter.  I am so easily pleased.  Hurried, but easily pleased.  :)     

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Sorry fellas, but this one’s for the women. 

Well, okay; you can listen too, I suppose.

But just to warn you, it’s touchy-feely.  It’s only about 60 seconds, but that might be 60 seconds too much for you. 

Being There, with Sue Monk Kidd.

[Edited to add: If the link doesn’t open for you, here is Sue Monk Kidd to your heart’s content!]

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Today is my two-year blogging anniversary at Contemplative Haven.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford a party this year.  Oh, we had a grand time at my sixth-month anniversary, didn’t we? (I held it at six months because I didn’t know if I’d last a year…)  Brother Lesser, who had left many excited comments on previous posts in anticipation of the party never showed up until the next morning; Pia (forget me not), whom we were all expecting, had to deal with a very serious emergency with her son - he had a soccer eye-injury, which we didn’t find out about until the next day; Owen crawled in late, exhausted from teaching RCIA; and I had to physically go and get Kathryn Therese, who had a great time once she found out there actually was a party.  Just to let you know, if you read the old comments (which looks like one big comment, because I had to cut-and-paste them from the old blog), Honora is actually Carol, and ccheryl is actually teresa_anawim.

To all of my “old” friends, as well as to so many new ones I’ve had the pleasure of meeting since then, thank you for making this such a worthwhile experience; and I would just like to say:

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In a recent homily, our priest told us we should, “look more redeemed“. 

Darn.  Just when I’d got my “mother-is-a-martyr-and-if-things-don’t-change-around-here-I -am-going-on-strike“ face perfected.

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Yes, the meltdown in the backyard has begun, and just in time. There was really nowhere else to put that gorgeous white stuff anymore.

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Just one more reason why everyone should read the lives of the saints. 

From the Arthur Young Series:

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Yes, I know I’m not supposed to be here until February, but it’s a woman’s perogative to change her mind.  So, it’s 2:15 a.m., I can’t sleep, and am having that recurring absurd notion that if I just google, “who can help me?”, the spiritual director of my dreams will pop up. 

Since I’ve heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, I refrained from the googling.  Instead, I paid a little visit to Word Incarnate.  Here’s a taste of what made me laugh out loud:

Perhaps we ought to ask the Lord to define “sufficient” (some of his definitions are different than ours; take “soon,” for example).

I don’t know what St Paul’s ”thorn” was, but sometimes I feel like I’m wearing an entire rosebush…

Thanks, Abbot Joseph.  A little grace goes a long way.  And now I will make a graceful exit again. 

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 * * * * * * * * * * * *

I plugged in practically everybody in my sidebar, and the only one who came out “Genius” was Phil, of CatholicGeek. And he’s on sabbatical. Go figure. 

To try it for yourself, go HERE.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

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Well, I do feel rather badly that I’ve had anything to do with twisting peoples’ brains up like Pennsylvania pretzels, or having brought the impalers out from hiding!  So I decided, there is nothing quite like an old movie, a little song ‘n dance, to ease the tensions of the week.  Now, you really must watch this one until the very last second.  The ending is just so me.  

You Say “Tomato”, I Say “Tomato“

Direct to YouTube is HERE

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