a comfortable cup of tea ...

2011-12-15T13:05:00.000-05:00

"Peace is better than understanding"

Landon, 5 years old

Advent Peace to you.

Happy Halloween....with a little help from my Dental-Wonderland friends!

2011-10-31T12:55:00.002-04:00

Coming to you live from Dental-Wonderland are:

Assistant Alice...

the Mad Dr. Hatter...

the Assisting Queen of Hearts...

the Officially unManageable Cheshire Cat ...

the way too obedient Offical office multitasker White Rabbit #1...

and the Hygienically inclined White Rabbit #2!

Oh, and 2 little autobots that go by the name of "Bumblebee"!

Happy All Hallow's Eve!!

__ll__

/ ^_^ \

\wvw/

making memories with Mijo

2011-10-23T12:37:00.014-04:00

Mijo and I did some exploring this summer...At the pumpkin farm he was interested in the train

and decided on riding in the caboose. But then he thought the engineer's position looked more profitable.

He inquired about the position and was hired on the spot.

Look at him with his hands on his hips, trying to look all in charge, while the real engineer gives instruction to the passengers!But there were no trains at the horse farm...

And as long as it was a horse he could ride,

he'd wear that yucky-hated-helmet all day long!

Ever wondered how a 3 year old conveys love?

"You like that horse," I asked Mijo?

"She's my daughter," he responded.

This year Mijo begins the adventure of making school memories!

Is he that old already?

This business of growing-up sure is tiring!

Who says?

2011-10-16T12:12:00.010-04:00

Who says acorns have to be brown

and lampshades are supposed to be white? Who says chairs are only for sitting ...

and branches belong on trees?

Not I!

insatiable desires

2011-08-12T15:06:00.005-04:00

Witnessing Wrists

2011-07-28T12:21:00.018-04:00

Dear Sisters, Associates, Volunteer Corps members, Companions, Coworkers and Friends in Mercy: I was privileged to be able to attend our most recent Chapter experience in Chicago. The moments were filled with new connections and rich conversations, out of which grew a phrase that was repeated over and over again throughout the numerous configurations in which we assembled: communal witness. It seemed to capture the Spirit of many and continued to call me to something more, but what? On the final day of our gathering, I shared an idea for an experiment in which my base group agreed to participate. I have dubbed it Witnessing Wrists and it works like this:

I’ve designed and purchased silicone bracelets - like the ones everyone is wearing these days to call attention to different causes! My design is royal blue in color, debossed in white with a Mercy cross in a circular shape at the center, and the words MERCY and MISERICORDIA on either side. The experiment is to wear the bracelet for 365 days, and keep a running tally of how many times you are invited to talk about Mercy when someone notices it on your wrist. That’s it!

Because it was more economical to buy in bulk and the company was running an offer for 100 free with the purchase of 100, I have 200 bracelets ready to adorn some Witnessing Wrists! Everyone in the Mercy family is invited to participate and can speak to Mercy from her/his own experience…I have 3 colleagues whom have already made claims.

If you would like to participate, all I ask is that you 1) send me a self-addressed, stamped envelope; 2) keep a tally of the inquiries made within a 365 day period; 3) email me the results of your Witnessing Wrist at the end of your experiment. I will put bracelets in the first 200 envelopes I receive and get them in the mail.

In Mercy, Sarah

the healing hands of God

2011-06-17T19:00:00.012-04:00

“How do you know that God is present?” is a question I have been asked more times than I can count. But although it is an easy question to ask – especially to someone who has made a life commitment because of a deep belief in that Presence – it is not an easy question to answer. Being born and raised within a Tradition of belief and having been schooled in the rubrics of the faith, the “know” part is fairly easy to answer; the “how” part, not so much. It takes time, examination, reflection on previously lived moments to recognize God present in the passing of a day, and still it often ends up as a piece of knowledge: the flowering tree I passed on my way to work; the $20 I found in my coat pocket the day I forgot my lunch; my nephew’s laugh-out-loud enthusiasm of a rolling tennis ball; the extended deadline of the assignment I didn’t finish…

But sometimes, some times, I recognize God without having to reflect back. I am able to feel God’s presence in the moment – I think it’s called Grace. It doesn’t happen a lot; it doesn’t even happen often, at least not to me. But when it does, it reaches a place deep, deep within, and fills me to overflowing. I recently met someone in whose presence I feel the Presence of God. The relaxing encounters have been so profound that I have been reduced to tears when we meet. I’m not sure she has any idea how sacred for me her time is; how through her hands I experience the healing hand of God; how grateful I am to be able to feel the Grace in the moment; how I thank my God whenever I think of her...

waiting for God.....

2011-06-16T12:29:00.004-04:00

the passion of women....

2011-06-06T12:45:00.007-04:00

¡Isabel Allende,

PRESENTE!

¡VIVA,

Isabel Allende!

how full of wonder and splendor You are...

2011-05-20T15:39:00.006-04:00

O God, how full of wonder and splendor You are…I am dumbfounded that You should care personally about me. And yet You have made me in Your image…You have called me…You have chosen me to be Yours…You have assigned to me the fantastic responsibility of carrying on Your creative activity… Psalm 8

Xylophone in the Forest

2011-05-06T20:29:00.003-04:00

Simply beauteous ...

via Gabrielle

ShiftHappens

2011-04-15T19:12:00.004-04:00

The State of Technology?...

Education?...

the World?...

VOTE for Anita's Memory!

2011-04-01T03:03:00.007-04:00

The Quilting Gallery is holding a weekly quilting contest

and I have entered one of my quilts.

Help me to win a $25.00 gift certificate

from The Fat Quarter Shop by voting for my quilt,

Anita's Memory,

here!

Become a Sister of Mercy

2011-03-24T10:37:00.003-04:00

Have you ever thought about it?

Special Delivery!

2011-03-21T19:27:00.001-04:00

Doesn't it just make you want to send him something?

3 faces of vulnerability

2011-03-18T16:25:00.017-04:00

In my experience

vulnerability has 3 faces:

1. ENCOUNTER ~ moment of self-revelation, intentional or not

2. MEMORY ~ moment of self-revelation

revisited

3. RE-ENCOUNTER ~ with the one to whom you have revealed

Though not literally naked,

I often feel that way when I am most vulnerable.

I've been feeling vulnerable alot lately ...

and thankful for the wise women who surround me.

Mijo turns 3!

2011-03-07T16:08:00.007-05:00

Look who turned 3 yesterday!

I wonder if Mary enjoyed little Jesus as much as I enjoy this little "Cristián" …

Doubt it! ;-]

playing with words ...

2011-03-05T15:34:00.010-05:00

Seems there is always a lesson to be learned ...

Here are a few I've learned from others:

DENIAL = Don't Even Know I Am Lying

FEAR = False Expectations Appearing Real

BITCH = Being In Total Charge (of) Herself

FINE = F'd-up, Insecure, Neurotic & Emotional

and a few more I put together myself:

DON'T = Daring Oneself Not (to) Try

CAN'T = Cowardly Avoiding New Things

DOUBT = Digging One Under Before Trying

FAILURE = Freely Admitting Ignorance; Learnings Unrecognizable Regarding Experience

(when I should be working on something else!!!)

Where Children Sleep

2011-02-25T20:31:00.005-05:00

Where Children Sleep ...

a wonderful piece ...

can be read online here.

my hard drive crashed

2011-02-10T11:40:00.004-05:00

My hard drive crashed.

My hard drive crashed!

My hard drive Crashed!

I received this lovely card in the mail the day after ...

... my hard drive CRASHED!!!

National Vocation Awareness Week

2011-01-10T16:31:00.007-05:00

EVERYONE has a life-vocation:

single,

married,

religious,

clerical ...

Each is unique,

fulfilling,

equal in importance,

Blessed by God ...

Some are more popular than others,

some are more scrutinized and public...

All are challenging,

and require continued commitment ...

and a good sense of humor!

(..)

\___/

i won!!!

2011-01-03T17:55:00.003-05:00

Just before Christmas,

Amanda Jean,

who makes some of the most AMAZING quilts,

had a giveaway on her blog

and I won!!!! :-)

The colorful packet arrived today with a wonderful note

thanking ME for reading her Blog.

Some people are just really, Really, REALLY nice.

Thank YOU, Amanda Jean!

That time of year ...

2010-12-19T13:43:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year once more!

When I prepare a family favorite ...

And gaze upon two, new,

Jesus-Children!

Angels of the New Millenium

2010-12-17T18:50:00.005-05:00

Remembering Women in El Salvador

2010-12-01T15:50:00.002-05:00

December 2, 2010 is the 30th Anniversary of the death of the four North American Churchwomen, killed by Salvadoran paramilitary troups.

Abundant Blessings

2010-11-22T14:13:00.017-05:00

May we always remember where we come from ... May we see the whole in every part ... May God's Blessings pour down on everyone ... And love flow from our hearts.

Abundant Thanksgiving Blessings to you and yours!

[: Turkey cookie "How-to" here :]

Anniversary of Catherine McAuley's death

2010-11-11T11:06:00.007-05:00

November 11 marks the 169th anniversary of the death of Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1831, Catherine used her inheritance to open the House of Mercy, providing social services to those in need particularly women and children. On December 12, 1831 Catherine and two of her associates founded the "Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy." When Catherine died in 1841 there were 150 Sisters of Mercy. Shortly thereafter, small groups of sisters left Ireland at the invitation of bishops in Newfoundland, New Zealand, the United States, Argentina and Australia.

Today the Sisters of Mercy number approximately 10,000 across the globe. Sisters of Mercy of the Americas serve in North, Central and South America; the Caribbean; Guam and the Philippines, with more than approximately 3,900 sisters responding faithfully to the needs of the poor in these countries.

Mercy Pink Glove Dance

2010-11-10T16:33:00.002-05:00

Mercy High School,

Farmington Hills, MI

on bullying

2010-11-03T12:50:00.003-04:00

I have been listening to the recent and all-too-often ugly accounts of bullying among school-age children. It has felt unbelievable to me, until yesterday ...

I went over to the high school behind my house to vote. It is a large building and I had to walk its long hallways to get to the gymnasium where the voting was taking place. I rounded a corner, took several steps and fell forward, landing hard on my knees and hands before ending-up in a prone position. I lay there for a few seconds, somewhat in shock. There was uproarious laughter from students around me. I felt embarrassed and a little afraid that I would not be able to get up.

I finally mustered the courage to crawl towards the wall and use it to steady myself in order to stand. I stood, pulled down my jacket, and walked on toward the gymnasium with the laughing students behind me the entire way. Not one person stopped to give me a hand or ask if I was ok.

recycling old books

2010-11-01T14:50:00.006-04:00

I had 8 of these MacMillan Pocket Classics that belonged to my Grandmother and Great Aunt. They were filled with penciled notes and comments from their high school days. I decided to recycle them in order to make them useable and gift them to each of my siblings. I removed the pages from each of the books to use for other ideas. Then I followed Cathi's tutorial to put a pocket on the inside of each cover. I then visited Dollar Tree and found some decorative pads of paper ... some with pockets and others with calendars ... and some cute little mini pens to finish each set.

"I'm a TIGER"

2010-10-29T12:32:00.003-04:00

Mijo visiting Aunt Trish at work:

"I'm a TIGER," says Mijo!

[Don't even TH!NK about

calling him T!gger!]

And he makes the cutest little tiger sounds, complete with paw swipe! :)

creating with pages from an old book

2010-10-28T18:36:00.004-04:00

I began with an empty salad dressing bottle,

pages from an old book,

and ModPodge (MP).

I covered the bottle with MP using a paintbrush, placed book pages over the wet MP,

and covered the pages with more MP.

I continued to place pages on the bottle,

twisting, turning and overlapping them until I was satisfied.

Then I covered the whole thing once more with MP and let it dry.

A black ribbon from an old pair of drawstring-waisted shorts made a cute bow.

Then I made some flowers with more pages using this tutorial,

attached them to some skewers hanging around in my kitchen drawer,

and placed them in the vase for a finished bouquet that you never have to water.

Hmmmmm, Christmas gifts?

Maybe I'll show you what I did with the cover of the book next time!

Weekend delights for young and "not so young" too!

2010-10-18T12:15:00.008-04:00

I spent a wonderful weekend with Mijo and Mom.

We took a little ride on Sunday and stopped to greet some of Mijo's favorite animals along the way.

Mom shows us how to say hello in horse language. Mijo tries to clear the fence.

Anticipating his hello ...

Time to go ...

Mijo's response,

"I wanna stay here, Weewa."

So did I!

Think Mercy

2010-10-04T12:37:00.002-04:00

Have you ever thought about it?

Creating ...

2010-09-29T13:40:00.008-04:00

Recycling old magazines into picture frames and fun little vessels.

In my next life I want to be an artist ... FULL TIME!

Happy Mercy Day!

2010-09-24T10:33:00.005-04:00

In 1824, Catherine used her inheritance to lease property on Baggot Street, a fashionable neighborhood in Dublin, for the purpose of building a large house for religious, educational and social services for women and children. Other women, intrigued by the house and the work for which it was intended, were attracted to Catherine and began to join her preparations for the ministry she planned. On September 24, 1827, the Feast of our Lady of Mercy, the first residents came to live in the house they called the House of Mercy in honor of the day.Catherine’s vision has been carried forth by thousands of Sisters of Mercy in at least 44 countries since her death on November 11th, 1841.Today it is called Mercy International Centre and the mission that began there, continues through the Sisters of Mercy all over the world. HAPPY MERCY DAY!

Saturday Morning

2010-09-20T11:56:00.014-04:00

Saturday Morning It's grey outside , raining, little ones are playing football in the field behind my building,

and people are singing “hallelujah” on the tele. A pair of jeans sits on the chair,

waiting to become a skirt, and the young man on the tele exclaims

“welcome to the choir!”

There’s laundry to do,

pages to write, I cannot get a program to install on the computer, and the choir sings “would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?" I cancelled breakfast with a friend, settled for cookie dough and tears under a quilt, in front of the tele where the choir sings "would you hold my hand?" A couple stands under a roof, birds align on the wire above them, skies brighten, and the choir takes a bow.

Circle of Mercy

2010-09-14T10:10:00.013-04:00

"There are things the poor

prize more highly than gold,

though they cost the donor nothing.

Among these are the kind word,

the gentle, compassionate look,

and the patient hearing of their sorrows."Catherine McAuley

Foundress of The Sisters of Mercy

Visit Circle of Mercy

for a musical montage

of the Works of Mercy

around the world!

morning goosebumps ...

2010-09-10T16:07:00.001-04:00

I spent the morning in the lounge of the service department while my car was being attended to. I read 3 People magazines and listened - unwillingly - to several cell phone conversations. {After which I half expected to be handed a cigarette and asked if it had been good for me! But that's a whole other topic and does not belong in this blog ...} Service personnel would enter the lounge now and again to find a customer whose car was finished by calling their name. "Tom" ... "Alan" ... "Ed" ... "Sophie" ... "Jason" ... And then it happened ... he said "Sister, you're car is ready" and the entire lounge, myself included, looked up to see who was being summoned. That's when I realized he was talking to ME! {Why is it that after 25 years of being a Sister I still get goosebumps of embarrassment when someone calls me that in public?} So I put down the magazine, listened to the damage being done to my wallet, and gathered-up my belongings. While I waited for the car to be brought around I glanced at the TV but what I paid attention to was the woman I could see out of the corner of my eye. She seemed to be staring my way in great concentration. After about 10 seconds {which feels like an eternity when someone you have not made eye contact with is looking straight at you!} I looked her way and realized she was looking at my foot. I looked down and saw ... Just then I remembered why after 25 years of being a Sister I still get goosebumps of embarrassment when someone calls me that in public.

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

2010-09-07T11:01:00.012-04:00

From Elementary ...

{4th Grade and 1st Grade}

To College ...

All are BACKPACK READY

to take on a new year of study.

Blessings on a new school year!

How To Be Alone

2010-09-03T14:47:00.003-04:00

Just because I like it!

The Guest House

2010-08-29T11:28:00.004-04:00

"God dwells in you as you"

2010-08-19T15:20:00.007-04:00

it was my favorite line of the movie

Woman, why are you weeping?

2010-08-12T10:59:00.005-04:00

'In the fullness of time, God's purpose will be revealed'

I LOVE this woman of God!

Thank you, Theresa ...

I am honored to be a part of your Gospel Community.

How about a new great-niece to go with that new great-nephew?

2010-08-04T16:10:00.005-04:00

Remember JJ? Well, he has a new little cousin and her name is EH!

She was named after her Great Grandpa, my Dad,

and was born just 2 days after his earth-birthday!

She is cute as a button!

JJ's mom and EH's dad are siblings and are my niece and nephew.

Here is JJ being held by his uncle and EH being held by her aunt.

Can you see JJ's little arm wrapped aroung his mama,

claiming his territory against the new arrival? :)

JJ is growing so fast!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY +DAD+ ... I love you and miss you a whole great big bunch!

2010-08-02T00:03:00.001-04:00

Tuesday's Eventide ...

2010-07-27T19:44:00.003-04:00

Evening Blessings from the lake ...

SUNday morning ...

2010-07-25T09:48:00.005-04:00

GOOD MORNING

FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW ...

SUMMER CUTIES

2010-07-21T13:34:00.005-04:00

These SUMMER CUTIES belong to my oldest niece, Giddy.

You met Hanna as she prepared to begin school and Red is

the big guy holding the little guy. Rumor has it they will be

turning 9 and 7 this year ... time does fly.

Giddy's Birthday is this Sunday!

I won't tell you her age but ...

if you add the two numbers together,

the sum equals the age of one of her children:

the one who has a guinea pig!

Here's lookin' at you!

2010-07-13T07:55:00.002-04:00

Here's lookin' at you!

A look at my week ... How was yours?

2010-07-09T22:59:00.012-04:00

Contemplating breakfast ...

Not so sure I like it, Weewa?!

Chillin' with my cars.

Asleep in Weewa's car ... zzz.

Loving the horses ...

Lunch and still in my pj's!

Washing off the day's leftovers.

Wanna see my fish? He's always clean!

Sound asleep after a full day ... zzzz ...

something to be said ...

2010-07-02T20:15:00.007-04:00

theresa, if the mind pictures words and the heart feels them, i suppose there is something to be said ... when with eyes closed you can be seen and felt with reminiscing warmth, i believe there is something to be said ... while i pray for your journey and love you from afar, i know there is something to be said ... thank you. sarah

I met Theresa, or "T.O." as we often called her, 25 years ago when she lived and journeyed alongside me as my Novice Director. We became friends in the years that followed and she walked and witnessed me through first and final vows. Yesterday morning she passed away and all I can do now is say thank you through the tears.

an artistic musician's prayer ...

2010-06-25T15:01:00.004-04:00

I love this rendition of Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring played by a street musician in Baltimore, MD. He had brandy snifters in multiple sizes that contained various amounts of water to produce different tones. He'd wet his fingertips in water and play away. Truly amazing!

sitting with the Divine

2010-06-23T21:38:00.010-04:00

can i tell you where i’ve been? what i’ve done and failed to do … can i tell you who i’ve loved? the risks involved; costs paid, the shame and the ecstasy … can you sit with me a spell? can you hold me till i can feel you? can you love me as i have loved another? can you teach me how to love you? can you rock me in your arms? can you satiate my desire? can you remind me who i’ve been, who i am and will become? can you take my hand in yours, guide me to a brand new day … tell me that you love me now more than yesterday; just as i am, no matter where i’ve been?

Let's hear it for the Boy!

2010-06-19T16:06:00.006-04:00

Last Sunday I attended a dance recital in which my nephew ~ pictured above, I mean ABOVE ~ rocked the house! I mean HE CAN DANCE! If you'd like to see him in action go here ... He's the TALL one with no hair. :) Here he's dancing with his teacher!

Dad's first Heavenly Birthday!!

2010-06-15T13:42:00.012-04:00

We're celebrating you today, Dad ... Grandpa, Uncle, Cousin, E.H., Harold ... on your first Heavenly Birthday! There are Facebook posts, Mass intentions, cemetery visits, vases of flowers, hot toddy sippers, pizza eaters, and so many fans loving you A WHOLE, GREAT, BIG BUNCH today and everyday since you left us one year ago. Feel free to join us at any time and make your warm presence known. We miss you!

One Week Ago Today

2010-06-11T00:01:00.007-04:00

A journal entry from June 26, 2009

My father was buried one week ago today. Before the coffin was closed, people were invited to say their last goodbyes. I waited until everyone else had passed before I went up. He looked asleep, that's all. I removed my mobius ring from my right hand and put it on the little finger of his left hand. I wore it as a reminder that what is inside of us flows constantly outwards and vice-versa. My dad lived that way ~ what you saw is what you got and who he was. It was my way of being with him in the next life to give him the ring. I made a sign of the cross with my thumb on his forehead and sealed it with a kiss. I whispered to him that I loved him and then the casket was closed.

Waking My Dad

2010-06-10T00:01:00.006-04:00

A journal entry from June 18, 2009

What did you think of the day, Dad? There were so many people who came to see you ... So much love and respect was spoken of you, so rightly so. I know you were proud of your family today ~ were you surpised by the witness of your life spoken by your grandchildren? They adored you, Dad. I miss you. It felt almost like watching a dream ... Seeing you in that box. I kept waiting for you to open your eyes and smile with your wink, but you did not move. I found myself saying over and over again "I cannot believe my dad has died." I truly am in great disbelief. My tears speak of my great love for you, Dad. I wish you hadn't left us so soon, so quickly. I love you.

My Dad Left Us Today

2010-06-09T00:01:00.003-04:00

A journal entry from June 15, 2009:

My dad left us today. He always said he was counting on there being a purgatory so he'd have a chance at heaven. But he needn't have worried, not even for a second. My dad was one of the kindest, most giving people to walk this earth. He asked nothing of anyone except for them to be themselves. And he had a WONDERFUL sense of humor. He loved to laugh and he used to thank Trish and me for coming by and making him laugh. All of his children received his sense of humor and love of laughter. My dad was greatly respected by all of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom are shedding tears this night. I miss you, Dad, and "I love you a whole great big bunch."

A Visit With Dad

2010-06-08T00:01:00.004-04:00

A journal entry from June 4, 2009:

I saw my dad today. I could not believe my eyes. I took his hand and he held on tight. He looked so sick, so weak. I struggled to keep my tears inside - I did not want to scare him. He just kept smiling at me and mouthing the words "I love you" over and over again. I gave him my card and Trish read to him the message I'd written inside ...

Dad,

If I could choose to be anyone I wanted to be

I would choose to be you.

You are goodness and light,

peace and mercy,

generosity and grace,

kindness and love.

You are a helper to those in need

and a consoler to those in sorrow.

You are strength, patience, and welcomer

to everyone and everything that crosses your path.

From you I have learned that every gift needs to be shared

and every person be given a seat;

that animals should be respected

and children taken care of;

that truth allows freedom

and money deserves responsibility;

that patriotism involves love

and family is everything.

That a smile is indeed a funny thing and does wrinkle one's face ~

though I never have been able to locate its secret hiding place! :)

I love you, Dad, with every single bit of my heart and soul,

and I thank you for finding me worthy to be your daughter.

I love you,

Sarah

Trish put it on the wall where he could see it before we left.

Home Again

2010-06-07T00:19:00.005-04:00

A journal entry from June 4, 2009:

You have grown so much, Mijo, but you're still my little peanut. I love your waddly walk and fascination of all things new; your nose-scrunching smile and courageous abandon to push the limit - even if it is your own. And your love of song and musical instruments makes my soul soar. To end the day rocking you to sleep in my arms ~ or was it me in your arms? Either way was pure Sacrament; a Sacred moment for which I am deeply grateful. Tomorrow, Mijo, when I venture to visit your Grandpa, I will remember this night, these moments, and take virtual refuge in your arms. I will invite Grandpa to join us this time.

Remembering Dad

2010-06-06T11:02:00.005-04:00

Last year at this time my father was quite ill and preparing to undergo a necessary surgery to restore his health. Because I was some 500 miles away and the surgery was deemed risky for his age and current health, I prepared to travel to visit him a week before he was to go into surgery. I knew I had only a couple of days to spend with him and that this could possibly be my goodbye. I wanted to leave him SOMEthing, but what? I decided to make him a card. I put a crayon in my nondominant hand and drew a picture of him with his eight children. He would be delighted with something made by hand, no matter what it looked like. I would take it with me and add a message to the inside before I saw him ...

Everyday faith ...

2010-06-03T15:26:00.006-04:00

I read this morning on Facebook an entry that asked: "How do you live life so your faith is totally part of your life?"

Here's my answer: I try to recognize daily at least one thing for which I am grateful about myself and the day ... and when I can't think of anything, I listen for butterfly sneezes ~ works every time! ;]

How'd you spend YOUR weekend?

2010-05-24T10:31:00.008-04:00

I spent the weekend hanging out with Mijo. He LOVED seeing himself on his Aunt's computer screen - so much so that he even waved! :)

We visited with my newest grandnephew, JJ. He is the tiniest, cutest little peanut! Mijo couldn't wait to get his hands on his little primo ... and when he did, JJ went fast asleep ...

When he wasn't holding JJ, he helped JJ's Grandma feed him. I guess he thought he was better equipped seeing as how he had more recently been at that stage!?

Oh yeah, when he wasn't holding or helping with JJ ... he was attached to JJ's Mama ... she said it was a cultural thing! ;]

the gatherer

2010-05-16T01:50:00.006-04:00

I call her the gatherer.

As she walks through life

she gathers remnants of her experiences ~

some displayed with pride;

others with disappointment

Together they display her lived reality:

a bouquet of Life.

Another Sister of Mercy working wonders ...

2010-05-08T22:54:00.004-04:00

Video Sister of Mercy: Sr. Karen Schneider, MDABC 7 News

I Know Two Things For Sure

2010-04-14T14:41:00.009-04:00

I received a comment recently by someone who has been reading my blog for awhile. "I didn't realize you were a Sister," she wrote. Although I have referred to my life within the Community here and here and here, I guess I have never directly said I am a Sister of Mercy! So, here goes ...

I don’t really have a “vocation story,”— at least not the kind illustrated by the yearnings of a young girl to grow up and be just like her “habited” teacher. Nor the heart-wrenching decision of the adolescent soon-to-be young woman as she attempts to break the news of her impending entrance into a life of holiness gently to her boyfriend AND to herself. In fact, 28 years and hundreds of journal entries later, I still lack a good story but I know two things for sure: First, I have not and probably never will achieve a life of holiness. However, my life in Mercy has undoubtedly realized a greater wholeness within me as human, woman and “Song of God.” And second, I did not bring myself to Mercy nor do I maintain myself here. That is the work of “Solamente,” my God. I need only to be attentive; the rest is not my concern. My name is Sarah and I am a Sister of Mercy of the Americas. I am an educator by profession and currently teach at the University of Detroit Mercy. If you are a woman in touch with both the magnificence and the messiness of being human, maybe you should consider Mercy. If you find the melody of your life-song being hummed by persons most in need, perhaps you ought to consider Mercy. If the desires of your heart originate and lead you beyond and Beyond, you probably need to consider Mercy.

Easter Cuties!

2010-04-06T10:39:00.004-04:00

I spent Easter with these two cuties and several more!

WOW ...

2010-03-21T10:42:00.003-04:00

What more can I say?

Check out WHO Jon Bon Jovi calls "the most impressive person he's ever met"

2010-03-15T19:35:00.007-04:00

Did you hear that? Sr. Mary is a Sister of Mercy! YEP, SHE IS ONE OF OURS!!!!

WHAT'S YOUR IDEA OF "COZY"?

2010-03-07T14:45:00.001-05:00

This is mine!

As you can imagine by the title of my blog, I was intrigued when I stumbled upon Susan's blog a couple of years ago entitled The T-Cozy. At the time she had a marvelous little Tea Room which she has since closed, but she continues to write and show and sell things all about tea over at her blog today. Right now she is having a "Get Your Cozy On Contest" which runs through March 16th. To enter you can either make a cozy or share what "cozy" means to you.

Guess which one I chose?

Mijo, flowers and Life!

2010-03-07T13:07:00.021-05:00

Yesterday Mijo turned 2 years old!!!

And I received these from a special group of friends!!

Today I am feeling alive with Life!

I hope you are also!

Have You Seen The Habits of A Sister of Mercy?

2010-03-06T20:18:00.010-05:00

Today on the Connect With Mercy Blog Sister Patricia Ann Pepitone, RSM wrote a wonderful piece entitled Have You Seen The Habits of A Sister of Mercy? I can think of no better way to explain why I do not choose to wear a habit than that. Thank you, Patricia Ann!

Religious Life in 2010

2010-02-10T10:10:00.007-05:00

Kudos to the Dominican Sisters of Mary for their portrayal of religious life as they see it on Oprah yesterday. Additionally, I feel a great sense of disappointment for myself and the hundreds of thousands of women religious within the U.S. whose lives are likewise dedicated to the spreading of the Gospel but cannot identify with the lifestyle of the Sisters portrayed on Oprah. I am sorry the discussion did not involve at least a few of the numerous ways in which the call to religious life is lived out in 2010.

G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E.

2010-01-18T11:25:00.015-05:00

Graced

Relationship

And

Trusted

Integrity ~

Treasured ...

Unexpected ...

Divine ...

Esteemed.

This is what I am feeling today!

the good ... the bad ... and the ugly!

2010-01-07T19:07:00.008-05:00

The GOOD:

Taking my little nephew,

Mijo,

to play in McDonald's Playland ...

watching him concentrate

on the computer screen in front of him

as he tries to figure out

why the bike he sits on

isn't actually moving.

The BAD:

Being told that my

grandson

is darling.

My GRANDSON?

The UGLY:

Doing the math

in my head

and realizing I really

COULD

HIS GRANDMOTHER!!!

Yeah,

well ...

we're never going back

to THAT McDonalds

again.

what i've learned this year ...

2009-12-31T19:26:00.019-05:00

2009 was filled with learnings for which I am both Graced and Grateful:

• Beginnings and endings are equally difficult. • Each risk ventured results in some amount of freedom. • The “freer” I feel, the more I am able to trust. • The more I am able to trust, the safer I feel. • The safer I feel, the more I am able to risk. • Sometimes you have to act as though you’ve accomplished your goal in order to see the reality of its possibility. • I can be open and faithful to a process, even when it is uncomfortable or I disagree with a component, as long as I am able to use my voice and feel I’ve been listened to. • I don’t know how to ask for what I want or need but I am learning and practicing. • I am very hard on myself, holding myself to a high level of expectation; when I hold others to that same expectation, I am more often than not left disappointed. • When all is said and done, I am ultimately accountable to myself, who is the harshest critic I know. • I need to embrace and accept where I am in the moment, with all of the pain and discomfort that may entail, instead of wishing the past away and the future already here. • Feelings are just feelings, not judgments, and they do not make me right or wrong, good or bad. • Being overly concerned with others’ feelings and reactions can sometimes paralyze me from making decisions that choose life. • Intention alone does not equal effort. Good or healthy intentions cannot be successfully realized without honest will and desire. • Recognition is the first hurdle of the relay toward wholeness. • Behaviors give messages and have a purpose. • I often find it difficult and uncomfortable to accept the giftedness others see in me. • ART and CREATING are self-soothing forms for me to get in touch with what I haven’t words to express: my Inner Self. • My safe place is in the arms of God, regardless of whether or not I am able to recognize that Presence. • Because of God’s Presence, I am never alone in this process we call Life, no matter where it takes me. • It is the time spent concentrating on my goodness that makes my goodness recognizable. • Recognizing the good inside is a means of recognizing God and honoring the Divine within. May 2010 be equally Graced...

one year later ...

2009-12-21T21:19:00.017-05:00

it is difficult to believe it's been a year since last i wrote

and yet much has happened in the moments in between ...

what i am doing in this moment ...

making one of my family's FAVORITE holiday foods! we call it canasta mix and it would put Chex Mix out of commission.

putting something together for our family gift-swap on

Christmas eve ...

LOVING this little Jesus-Child ...

MISSING greatly the earthly presence of this dear angel ...

(8/1/1927 - 6/15/2009)

CHRISTmas Blessings ... and a pause

2008-12-21T21:24:00.014-05:00

May the Song of the Season

warm your heart

and fill your soul with Love.

Christmas Blessings to

you and yours ...

I shall be away for a bit ~ a pause that refreshes ...

But please do have a comfortable cup of tea while I am gone.

Presenting this year's Baby Jesus ...

2008-12-08T18:54:00.007-05:00

In my elementary teaching days, this time of year would be spent putting the final touches on the Christmas Play. Students from kindergarten through grade 8 would sing and tell and act out the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. When the time came for the baby to be born, Mary ~ played by an eighth grade girl ~ would be handed a real baby from behind. The role of Baby Jesus was sometimes played by a boy and sometimes played by a girl; it all depended on which student had the youngest brother or sister at the time!

I think Mijo would make a marvelous Baby Jesus this year:

waiting ...

2008-12-04T01:48:00.004-05:00

"We live from peak event to peak event,

from brightness to brightness,

resisting the flat terrain of ordinary time ~

the in-between time.

Waiting is the in-between time.

It calls us to be in this moment ..."

from When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd

Advent 2008

2008-11-30T18:56:00.006-05:00

Spirit of Illumination,

guide our path through this season of waiting ...

A Season of Thanks ...

2008-11-24T22:30:00.003-05:00

Blessings to all in this week of Thanks ...

Another "Quilts" Giveaway!

2008-11-11T14:59:00.003-05:00

OK, here's the deal! Dana over at Old Red Barn Co. is having a QUILT GIVEAWAY and it's free to enter! Just head over to her blog and leave a comment. She is one generous person from whom all of us could take a lesson.

Soulmaking ...

2008-11-08T09:11:00.005-05:00

The art of soulmaking is taking our lives in our hands and – with all the love and discernment we can muster – gently whittling away the parts that don’t resemble the True Self. In spiritual whittling, though, we don’t discard the shavings. Transformation happens not by rejecting these parts of ourselves but by gathering them up and integrating them. Through this process we reach a new wholeness.

from When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd

The silent heart ...

2008-10-22T23:33:00.005-04:00

The silent heart is a blessing heart Because it sees the Divine in all things The silent heart is a listening heart Because it seeks always to be increased The silent heart is a peaceful heart Because it has mastered the art of forgiveness The silent heart is a restful heart Because it has learned to be at home with itself The silent heart is a selfless heart Because it knows how to be truly grateful The silent heart is a timeless heart Because it lives in the moment,

ever in touch with the eternal The silent heart is a trusting heart Because it recognizes its sustenance as Providence The silent heart is a silent heart Because it has experienced the grace of contemplation

Mijo

2008-10-20T21:56:00.004-04:00

Here's what's decorating the screen

of my computer lately!

ch-ch-ch-changes ...

2008-10-17T10:20:00.012-04:00

All changes,

even the most longed for,

have their melancholy;

for what we leave behind us

is a part of our selves;

we must die to one life

before we can enter another. ~anatole france

There is a time for departure

even when there's no certain place to go.

~tennessee williams

Everyone needs a little reminder once in awhile ...

2008-10-12T22:40:00.006-04:00

You are goodness and mercy and compassion

and understanding. You are peace and joy and light. You are forgiveness and patience,

strength and courage, a helper in time of need,

a comforter in time of sorrow, a healer in time of injury, a teacher in times of confusion. You are the deepest wisdom and the highest truth; the greatest peace and the grandest love. You ARE these things. And in moments of your life you have known yourself as these things. Choose now to know yourself as these things ALWAYS. from Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch

The Beginning of a Spirituality ~ Part III

2008-09-30T01:03:00.002-04:00

The Lilac Sanctuary

The walk to school every morning was purposeful and timed. If I left the house on time and walked without delay I could arrive with breath to spare and time to visit with my classmates, an integral exercise in what continues to be the most attended class of the newly blossomed adolescent years - socialization. But the walk home was different. Instead of a preoccupation of what was to come, which often filled my thoughts along the morning trek, my mind assumed a memory mode as it soared through the past events of the day. It was almost an effortless thinking, an effortless being. It just was and it mattered not what time I left school, for I was going home and need not worry about arriving before the bell.

On the way home I took a different path ~ a path that would take me past the huge brick house on the corner. It was not the house I liked, it was the bushes. The bushes filled with luscious green leaves that stroked my bare arms and legs like gentle kisses as I walked through their midst. The bushes filled with aromatic blooms of lilac, white and pink that towered well above my head and made me feel as if I had entered another space in time entirely. Each day I ventured in and through and out feeling full and filled, and for reasons I did not care that I did not understand, I emerged whole and fulfilled. I loved those bushes and their space and how they made me feel.

Once I grew and moved away from my place of origin, each visit home I would venture past those bushes – just to be sure. But one summer afternoon as I arrived in the city, something seemed odd and I began to feel an almost nauseating pain in the pit of my stomach. I thought it was the hot weather and the length of time I had traveled in an un-airconditioned car. But as I approached the huge brick house, I quickly forgot about the heat. The bushes were gone! My temple had been destroyed. And even though it has been gone several years now, I cannot help but venture past where it once stood each time I return home – just to be sure.

The Beginning of a Spirituality ~ Part II

2008-09-25T16:46:00.000-04:00

Under Kelly’s Front Porch

I was 10 years old and loved gumball machines. At that time you could put in a penny and out would come 2 gumballs and, depending on the machine, a tiny trinket would accompany the colorful spheres. The tiny plastic object was no bigger than a thumbprint and usually possessed a ring at one end so as to be strung like a charm from a necklace or bracelet. For me, those trinkets were treasures, my most prized possessions. Perhaps because they were cute and colorful; perhaps because they were mine. They all meant something to me and I loved them for it. I kept them in a box my grandmother had given me and in it they were transported back and forth from my hideout. Actually, it was our hideout, Kelly’s and mine. Kelly was my friend and we used to take my trinkets underneath her front porch and set them up here and there. That’s all we did – we took them out and set them up, one by one, and then sat there looking at them and being with them – often in silence. If someone had asked I doubt we could have explained why; we just did and it was good and that was enough.

And then one day Kelly stopped coming to the hideout and so it became my hideout. I continued to enter the place, box in hand, alone from then on. Soon the summer ended and Kelly went back to her school and I went back to mine. The weather turned colder and I visited my little temple less and less.

Thirty-plus years later my temple is housed in a sacred corner of my bedroom and continues to contain trinkets which represent my life, my love, my connections. Reminiscent of the altarcitos of Hispanic popular religion (small places common in many homes where Holy images and objects of meaning are placed), a simple mission style bookcase serves as my altar’s base upon which currently rest the following items: a small weaving from the altiplano or high mountainous regions of Peru; a candle; prayer cards and service programs containing small photographs and prayers of eternal rest for two dear friends; a miniature earthenware container filled with pinches of dirt from 12 countries in which the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas minister and reside; a petite bottle of holy water from the shrine in Mexico decorated with a colorful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe; a little clay vessel given to me 26 years ago at my entrance ceremony; a piece of stone etched with the words Be still and know that I am God; the crude clay bird hand-fashioned during a retreat; a piece of weathered driftwood from the lake at Stillpoint; coral from the shores of Belize; and my drawing journal displaying a mandala I created for Mary. I try to visit my mestiza temple daily and sit in silent reflection amidst the visual fronteras of my soul.* Some people call it meditation, others call it contemplation. I learned a long time ago to call it prayer, even when it does not feel like it.

*With experiences and devotions in two distinct worlds and not comfortably fitting completely into either, my spirituality embraces mixed traditions; lives in the borderlands. From the poem “To live in the Borderlands means you” by Gloria Anzaldúa in Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza

The Beginning of a Spirituality ~ Part I

2008-09-22T20:30:00.009-04:00

WAY UP HIGH, SERAPHIM ...

As a small child of no more than four, the Mass was mostly in Latin and very little made sense to my young ears. Except for one word - one word spoken one time within that hour of babble when I knew that I was being named specially among the crowd and recognized - the word was seraphim. And even though it was not Sarah, I knew it meant Sarah because after all, it wasn’t English anyway and that was just the other language’s way of saying Sarah.

A few years later the babble turned familiar and my curiosity waned until one Sunday I noticed what had been there always, hanging high above the altar. It was way up high, so high that if you sat too far up in the body of the church, you could not see what I oftentimes saw and oftentimes did not. It was rectangular in shape from the angle just below it, a box which hung by four chains made of what looked like wood and decorated on the bottom with colors of turquoise and cream and something of a darker hue from the perspective further back. There seemed to be no light attached to it and nothing hung from it to identify its purpose and so I would look at it and wonder “Why is this here?” and “What is that for?” And sometimes, because the box hung from chains and there was a rather large space between it and the ceiling, I saw it. It was a cross, but not a real cross, more like a shadow cross sitting between the box and the ceiling. But there was no real cross making the shadow cross so maybe it was some other kind of cross. Sometimes I would see it and look around at the other faces in the community gathered and wonder if they too could see it. Other times it was nowhere to be found and I would still look around at the other faces and wonder if they too could not see it. And even though I could not see it every time, I was sure of it; I knew it was still there even if I was the only one who knew about it. Somehow I think I was.

dear ann,

2008-09-14T17:45:00.005-04:00

i'm aided to my feet and proudly stand alone ... i read your wisdom admire your honesty relate to your feelings love your wordsmithing appreciate your theology enjoy your life-pictures follow your bliss while i cannot find my own ... and then i stop want no more ... i envy your insight resent your vulnerability desire your approach begrudge your creativity covet your faith spite your gratitude despise your bliss while i cannot find my own ... until i fall once more and cannot rise alone ...

ann, it seems i have a love/hate relationship with reading your blog ... more accurately, i suspect, it reflects my relationship with myself ... sometimes a prayer; sometimes a swear ... what i would not give to share a comfortable cup of tea with you one day. blessings, sarah

Thank you, Kim

2008-09-09T19:50:00.008-04:00

Remember Kim of hues of nature ~ the wonderful artist who designed and crafted the darling pixies which make up Three Friends? She has decided to offer Mary's Fairy in her Etsy Shop to aid ovarian cancer awareness, and will donate $5.00 from each doll she sells to Gilda's Club of Detroit.

She then put together a Treasury at Etsy entitled A Tribute to Mary ~ check it out here. Thank you, Kim ... you have been an angel of comfort amidst the pain of our loss.

Namaste.

Can Mijo come out to play?

2008-09-04T13:43:00.007-04:00

"Mijo, guess who's coming to get you tomorrow?"

"Your Aunt!"

"No, not that one ~ your FAVORITE one."

"Yeah, that one, Aunt Sarah!"

... heart of my heart ...

2008-08-29T10:02:00.006-04:00

can i tell you where i’ve been? what i’ve done and failed to do? can i tell you whom i have loved? the risks involved … the costs which have been paid … the shame and the ecstasy? can you sit with me awhile? can you hold me ‘til I can feel you? can you love me as I have loved another? can you teach me how to love you? can you rock me in your arms? can you satiate my desires? can you remind me who I have been? who I am and will become? can you take my hand in yours? guide me to a brand new day? tell me that you love me now more than yesterday? just as I am? no matter where I have been? because … right now … i cannot.

A Tribute To Mary

2008-08-24T21:43:00.012-04:00

23 August 2008 Farmington Hills, Michigan My Dear Mary Helene, As Isaiah pronounced, “We do indeed sing this day for you. We observe this feast in your honor, as you march with your flute toward the mountain of the Lord.” What a glorious song your life has composed! Yet, even as I write these words I can hear you saying “I didn’t compose it, I just tried to sing the score God set before me.” In that case, Mary, you certainly have assembled a sizeable choir. It spans the generations … beginning with the young at IHM, “the merest children” as Matthew calls them, and ending with, well, the mature at McAuley. To young and old alike, the Master Teacher’s voice, resounding in your musical ear, was indeed revealed through you. Your harmony was exquisite; your ability, unending; and yet your robe remained simple ~ usually plain ~ and unassuming. I remember very vividly those first few weeks after entrance. While our three classmates strategized over who could get through candidacy the fastest, you and I retreated to the showers, questioning what we were doing with our lives, and singing our own rendition of Swing Lo in two-part harmony. Years later, when we found ourselves to be the only remaining members of the class of ’82, we smiled, continued to question what we were doing with our lives, and tried to figure out how to fit Swing Lo into a final vow Liturgy.

Music was a passion we shared. We could hum the Michigan fight song in every-other-note duet style, and play trios for the recorder with three instruments and two mouths. We played and sang together often, and talked about the beauty and creativity of the musical word, poetry in motion, and its vast capacity - to heal, to teach, to bring one to tears or to laughter, to leave one speechless with a musical experience. Perhaps the most powerful musical experience we shared happened in 2005. Amidst chemo treatments, fatigue and nausea, you managed to join me in San Antonio for a weekend of music and work. We scribbled and crossed out, and scribbled again on a pile of paper scraps, which eventually became musical scores and a lovely collection of songs on CD. Best of all, Mar, you finally met Anita face-to-face. And there you shared, two women Religious, teachers, musicians, highly educated and successful, battling the same illness with dignity and determination, comadres in this life, and now in the next. These past six years, Mary, have certainly been a most challenging rendition of Amazing Grace. You walked courageously and gracefully through many dangers, toils and snares, and in the end, Grace indeed led you quickly and gently home. If I had to choose just one song to describe your journey through this earthly life, I would choose the traditional Shaker tune, Simple Gifts. For amidst the numerous and prestigious accomplishments you made ~ many of which remain unknown to most ~ you never ceased to be Mary Helene: the fourth of five children, born into a Catholic, Italian (and Irish!) family, who proudly hailed from Motown. Daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, friend, student, musician, teacher … you never lost sight of who you were – ‘Twas your gift to be simple; or from where you had come – ‘Twas your gift to be free; and nothing and no one ever fell below you - To bow and to bend you shan't be ashamed. Spending this time with you, as you journeyed with and toward the Divine, has been nothing less than Sacred Grace; an enfleshed Eucharistic Moment of bread, blessed, broken, and shared. Your continued concern for the comfort of those around you often reminded me of the stories of the death of Catherine McAuley, foundress of our Mercy congregation. When she was close to death and the Sisters had traveled to gather around her bedside, she whispered “Make sure the Sisters have a comfortable cup of tea when I am gone.”

As I sat next to you these days, I found myself praying Catherine’s Suscipe over and over again. I’m not sure who I was praying for, Mar, you or me, but I figured it didn’t matter. So once more, Mary, I pray with you the Suscipe of Catherine McAuley: My God, I am yours for time and eternity.
Teach me to cast myself entirely
into the arms of your loving Providence
with a lively, unlimited confidence in your compassionate, tender pity.
Grant, O most merciful Redeemer,
that whatever you ordain or permit
may be acceptable to me. Take from my heart all painful anxiety; let nothing sadden me but sin, nothing delight me but the hope of coming
to the possession of You

my God and my all, in your everlasting kingdom. Amen. Until always, Mar … Sar, ttss

Three Friends

2008-08-20T17:17:00.009-04:00

Kim made these darling little friends for me to give to my friend, Mary, who was struggling through the final days of her earthly life.* The first lil' pixie is Sarah. She is needle felted of hand painted roving. She carries a little nature journal in one hand and a tiny quill. In the other hand she carries a tiny piece of fabric to quilt, in Mary's blue, with tiny stars and pine cones, and has a needle felted little bird nest for a hat. Mary's fairy is in a beautiful forget-me-not blue roving with her slippers strapped to her side, a tiny yellow glass seed bead on each ~ she has taken them off now that she has begun to sprout wings. She carries a journal with three friends on the cover, along with her flute. She has a Swarovski crystal butterfly in her hair. Karen's lil' pixie has tiny green glasses to match her dress and shoes. The bottom of her dress is decorated with hand painted mohair locks and a needle felted heart is on the skirt. A little acorn cap adorns her head. She carries a wooden heart button and a miniature Harry Potter, The Goblet of Fire. Karen and Sarah have no wings and their shoes are still firmly in place. As such they can walk with Mary along her journey, but only until her wings take flight. Mary's wings did indeed take flight early this morning. The earth-angel of the little group has transitioned into the next life and is being deeply missed by Karen and Sarah.

*Unfortunately, the three friends did not arrive in time to meet Mary on this plane, so I will gift them to Karen in hopes that they might help to bring a smile to her face once more.

It's coming ... a new school year ...

2008-08-14T00:27:00.019-04:00

and along with that ... fire drills!

fire drills

i hate them so

we have to line-up

in a row ...

it is so loud

it hurts my ears

please, don't let anyone

see my tears ...

they say it is fake

but i think it's real

and James Jerome

always steps on my heel ...

but that's o.k.

cuz then i can cry

and nobody ever

has to know why.

This is my grandneice ~ a future kindergardener!

"Within this barrio" ...

2008-08-06T13:54:00.001-04:00

In January of 1996, I moved to Argentina to live and work with the Sisters of Mercy among the materially poor. The next 3 years proved to contain the most challenging and richest learning experiences I've ever received. The following is a journal entry written a couple of months after I arrived in the south of Argentina. Within this barrio [neighborhood] I am living and learning a life of which I have never experienced. Sweeping frogs from underneath the bed at sundown before retiring for the evening, and chasing cats from the kitchen at sun-up having entered through the window, looking for a bite to eat. Embracing children with lice-ridden heads, and filth encrusted noses and bodies from weeks without a bath. Houses with no running water and little more than bundled cardboard for walls and a ceiling; dusty, dirty, pebble and mud roads whose rising clouds of dry earth never seem to dissipate. Last evening Marcela and I went to visit a family of the parish living in the next barrio. There were 12 children ranging in age from 9 months to 20 years. The mother is 33 years old. The father works in the chakras [fruit orchards] collecting fruit, but has not been paid for three months. If he does not continue to work, he will lose his job to one of the men who line-up each morning hoping to replace an absent or ill worker from the prior day. So he continues to work each day without pay. The family lives in a two-room home, very crudely put together with a hard dirt-packed floor. We sat in the kitchen taking maté [a strong herbal tea drunk from a dried gourd and sucked from a metal straw] with 10 of the 12 children wide-eyed and hanging on every word. I spoke as much Spanish as I could possibly muster and drank enough maté, made from water taken from an old plastic bucket set on the floor beside the mother, until I thought my bladder would burst. I knew I could not ask to use the bathroom because there wasn’t one, and they would have been ashamed to show me the hole dug outside. I tried to pretend like I had been in houses like theirs all of my life; that the hoards of flies encircling the room and covering the sweetbread dough being fried and served us were of no bother to me whatsoever. I tried to maintain eye contact with the children instead of noticing the far from eye-pleasing physical conditions around me. I felt ashamed at my dis-ease and hoped it was not showing. Never had I experienced a poverty so cold and so obvious; nor had I ever experienced a welcome so warm and filled with such peace and gratitude. That evening I cried myself to sleep and prayed for a day when I would be able to notice the people so intensely that the physical surroundings would melt somewhere in the background of my unconsciousness.