My time in DC has been filled with much for me to contemplate. With a month gone- I have been a bit overwhelmed, nervous, upset, and somewhat happy. Overall I forgot that I was in the midst of huge upheaval and transition. I was overwhelmed by all of these “things” these emotions and thought I was going crazy to an extent. Things were not/ are not perfect like they were in Minnesota. I had friends there that I had solid relationships with. I was able to be outside when it was dark and not be nervous that I was by myself. I didn’t have to worry about whether I had locked the door in St. Joe- much less double lock the doors. There is much to adjust to, and I need to remember to allow myself the time to adjust as necessary.
This last weekend for me was amazing! I was able to participate in a retreat that was focusing on the integration of mind, body, and the spirit-which for those who don’t know was the focus of my integration seminar. There were four presentations throughout the weekend, in addition to time to spend by myself, outside, in solitude and also with some of the other retreat participants. It was great! The director of the retreat works at the same place that I do, and after the retreat he took me to the Billy Goat Trail which is a trail that follows the Potomac River. We walked on the Maryland side of the river. It was glorious- outside of the fact that my ankle started to bother me. The pictures are from my trip with Tom on the trail- as he said in the email- it is a bit hard to believe that it was only half an hour from D.C.
I remembered several things during my retreat. I remembered that I love to walk- whether it is around a neighborhood, or on a track. So now, after work I am going to try to walk every day for an hour. It will allow for some sustained exercise in addition to great outdoor activity while keeping me away from digital cable. I also remembered how much I love to write- poetry-journaling- notetaking- anything that requires that I put pen to paper. It is a beautiful and creative expression that I enjoy fully!
My work is starting to take off. I am getting ready to go on the road- I will be speaking to a parish in Pennsylvania in October. I am hoping that will give me some of the pastoral work I need to be involved with, be it outreach or sacramental prep. Most of my work is administrative, but I am looking forward to the time when I will be able to be as creative as I can be and find the work as fulfilling as I would like it to be.
