A Heritage of Wonder and Adventure

by Carol Kandiko, CSA

Waking up each morning has always been a slow process for me. Lately it seems to be taking longer and longer, culminating in the moment when my mug of coffee and I sit before the lit candle and sink into a posture of prayer. I am blessed to open windows of insight each day though a variety of books that companion me through the year. Currently I am rereading Coleman Barks’ A Year with Rumi for the third time. Some mysteries take a long time to seep into one’s psyche. And a new discovery that I am finding both comforting and challenging is An Almanac for the Soul: Anthology of Hope by Marv and Nancy Hiles out of Iona Center in Hearldsville, California.

Each morning a fresh dose of insight nudges me toward awareness of presence or Presence, which then moves with me through the rest of the day. For some this morning encouragement and insight may come through daily Scripture readings or another daybook or even rereading their own journal. More and more of us are finding this daily encouragement on line through a delightful variety of uplifting websites. It is a quiet time of fresh opening to the reality of the given now.

One outcome of this simple ritual is a strong sense of belonging to humanity. Writers sharing their personal life adventures help me make sense of my own. Whether the reading is one of challenge, pain or confusion the author has risen above the experience to share it with unknown others including me. If it is a story of beauty, joy or goodness I feel invited to share the experience with them and to look for similar events in my own life. If the narrative is dark and deeply personal, I empathically relate it to personal experiences of my own. Either way I am given the awareness that I belong to a heritage of wonder and adventure. I come awake in the reality of God with me… God with us. We all belong.

photo by Rob Blair Photography