An Inspired Curiosity about Elephants It was my mother who inspired a curiosity about elephants. As a little girl, I marveled at the assorted collection of delicate figurines gently displayed around our house. The larger statuettes spirited long beautiful tusks. The smaller pocket-sized ones playfully boasted their own unique charm and color. According to mom, “Elephants possess wisdom and goodness. If the trunk is facing upward, it is said to bring prosperity and kindness. Moreover, a downward posture points to a long happy life.” Why the ancients believed these towering animals bring good tidings is lost in time. It was not long before I started to collect elephant treasures too. Some are made of wood while others are carved out of marble. Each opens a door to a wonderful memory every time it catches my attention. Over time, I enjoyed learning about the fascinating qualities that set these gentle…
Acquiring a spirit of prayerful silence is vital to the interior life. It requires a real desire to detach all thought from the outside world to center only on the Divine Presence. For most of us, devoting time to a daily practice of “quiet prayer” is hard given everything always calling for our attention. It can be done. Despite the world’s constant disarray, we can learn how to be still to know that He is God. My pursuit of cultivating time for “quiet prayer” began with Saint Teresa of Avila’s work “The Interior Castle.” A gift from my father, I read the profoundly inspiring book while on an annual family trip to Montauk, Long Island (July 2007). Captured in my journal is the mystic’s description of a “magnificent castle” with multiple dwellings present within the soul. Avila saw this beautiful image in a vision. She elucidates, “The…
One of the earliest teachings my children learned centered on the practice of making good choices. As toddlers, picking out the movie to watch before bedtime or choosing the tastiest snack to pack away for school never required much debate. However, as they grew older, good decision-making became far more complex as the world around them unfolded a menu of different choices to accompany each new scenario. Soon enough, they were setting their own goals, shaping discipline into the art of study habits, making friends, and finding a unique way to bring “good” into the world. Along this journey, I put my heart into teaching them “how” to think and wisely discern without determining the outcome itself. Ultimately, it was their choice to make and abide by. The bigger the decision, the more time we spent thinking through the impact of possible moves like in the game of chess…
Forever Kept in the Vault of My Heart As of this writing, James and I last spoke 8,035 days ago. This anniversary of September 11th 2001 marks the tragic last day that I heard the sound of my brother’s voice. At the time, I truly believed that my heart held all the love that it could possibly hold over my lifetime. But I was wrong. Twenty-two years of missing James has increased the love I have for him beyond measure. Years have shown me what it means to suddenly lose a cherished sibling in the horrific way that 9/11 families did. Losing him forever changed my own place in the world. The bond that siblings hold for each other shapes the life of the whole family. That is what love simply does. When one is lost, all are lost. As brother and sister, James and I…
The desert Fathers knew the spiritual power given in the arrow prayer. They committed to memory, the poetic words the Psalmist prayed to draw God down into their human situation and bless them right where they were. With one breath, the day began with the prayer, “Lord, be with us.” Chanting the words “Thank you Father for the beauty of all you created,” they praised the Almighty for the light given by the sun, shimmer of the moon and sustaining food from the earth. In sickness, their supplications lamented “Have mercy on me Lord, fill me with a length of days” or “Incline thy ear to hear my plea with mercy. For I am without help, make haste and deliver me.” When in doubt, the words “Lord, help me in my unbelief” stand ready. Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta also spoke arrow prayers into her work without end. She said…
