If You Want...

Several years ago, Jud and I took training to become non-denominational Spiritual Directors. It was a wonderful experience. We met a weekend each month for two years and our class was full of diversity in religion and, well, not men exactly. There were two, one male leader and a whole lot of wonderful women. At this time,  I found a "don't miss" retreat concerning using the arts in spiritual direction and traveled to a beautiful retreat center on the ocean shore of Washington state, where we studied, prayed and played for a week. The leaders, Christine Valters Paintner and Betsy Beckman were terrific and now have written several books. Christine also has a blog and, this morning, I was again reminded of this poem. If You Want If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the road pregnant with the holy, and say… “I need shelter for the night, please take me inside your heart, My time is so close.” Then, under the roof of your soul, you will witness the sublime intimacy, the divine, the Christ taking birth forever, as she grasps your hand for help, for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us. Yes, there, under the dome of your being does Creation come into existence eternally, through your woman, dear pilgrim – the sacred womb of your soul, As God grasps our arm for help’ for each of us is His beloved servant never far. If you want, the Virgin will come walking Down the street pregnant With light and …sing.  -St. John of the Cross from Love Poems to God translated by Daniel Ladinsky My final words to you...may you, whatever faith or belief you hold, give birth to whatever is sacred in your heart. And thank you, during this terrible and wonderful time, for surrounding me with caring and hope. P.S. I do have a pretty new "face"  on my blog. More about that very soon. I can't seem to get rid of the yellow. Susie Hibdon to the rescue!!!