On your mark get set go! And so, the big journey began in earnest this morning at about 9:30 A.M. from Esopus, New York at the Marist Brothers Retreat Center. After a great breakfast prepared by Br. Owen (no, no relation, just a good name) we had a prayer service prepared by Br. Owen. Br. Hank and some of the other Marist brothers at the Retreat Center joined Carlin and I. Br. Owen had a prayer, A Blessing for the Traveler from To Bless the Space Between Us by John O'Donohue. I'm including it because I think it is insightful and reflective for all of us in our journeys. It goes as follows:
Every time you leave home, Owen,
Another road takes you into a world you were never in
New strangers on other paths await.
New places that have never seen you
Will startle a little at your entry.
Old places that know you well
Will pretend nothing
Changed since your last visit.
When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you,
and if you listen,
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say.
A journey can become a sacred thing:
And so we make sure, before you go,
To take the time
To bless your going forth,
So that the compass of your soul
Might direct you toward
The territories of spirit
Where you will discover
More of your hidden life,
And the urgencies deep with you
That deserve to claim your heart.
May you travel in an awakened way,
Gathered wisely into your inner ground;
That you may not waste the invitations
Which wait along the way to transform you.
May you travel safely, arrive refreshed,
Return home more enriched, and free
To balance the gift of days before you.
Amen.
The ride. Oh my gosh. Those of you who know me well know I don't like to ride in the cold. I don't like to ride in the rain. I don't like to get lost. Well, today was the trifecta. This morning I was hoping that by starting a little bit later I would get some warmth and/or the rain would stop. NO! Didn't happen. As I left the serene beauty of the Marist Brothers Retreat Center it was 59 degrees (fahrenheit), raining or misting, and I was soaking wet and cold. This is not good. Everyone knows that rabies and hypothermia don't mix well together. I had to change four times during the day to stave off the cold effects on my fragile Irish skeleton.
But don't get me wrong. There were great elements of the ride. Along the way, I crossed over the Hudson on the Walkway over the Hudson as I crossed from the west side of the Hudson to the East side to visit Marist College. Marist College has a very impressive campus.
I traveled back down the west side of the Hudson through Newburgh, New York on my way through Goshen, NY and finally to Port Jervis, NY. Tonight, through the hospitality of Fr. Matt Newcomb at the Parish of the Immaculate Conception we are staying at the Parish center. Carlin and I are looking forward to Tom Gouterman joining us tomorrow for our excursion of pain, joy and laughter.
Every time you leave home, Owen,
Another road takes you into a world you were never in
New strangers on other paths await.
New places that have never seen you
Will startle a little at your entry.
Old places that know you well
Will pretend nothing
Changed since your last visit.
When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you,
and if you listen,
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say.
A journey can become a sacred thing:
And so we make sure, before you go,
To take the time
To bless your going forth,
So that the compass of your soul
Might direct you toward
The territories of spirit
Where you will discover
More of your hidden life,
And the urgencies deep with you
That deserve to claim your heart.
May you travel in an awakened way,
Gathered wisely into your inner ground;
That you may not waste the invitations
Which wait along the way to transform you.
May you travel safely, arrive refreshed,
Return home more enriched, and free
To balance the gift of days before you.
Amen.
The ride. Oh my gosh. Those of you who know me well know I don't like to ride in the cold. I don't like to ride in the rain. I don't like to get lost. Well, today was the trifecta. This morning I was hoping that by starting a little bit later I would get some warmth and/or the rain would stop. NO! Didn't happen. As I left the serene beauty of the Marist Brothers Retreat Center it was 59 degrees (fahrenheit), raining or misting, and I was soaking wet and cold. This is not good. Everyone knows that rabies and hypothermia don't mix well together. I had to change four times during the day to stave off the cold effects on my fragile Irish skeleton.
But don't get me wrong. There were great elements of the ride. Along the way, I crossed over the Hudson on the Walkway over the Hudson as I crossed from the west side of the Hudson to the East side to visit Marist College. Marist College has a very impressive campus.
I traveled back down the west side of the Hudson through Newburgh, New York on my way through Goshen, NY and finally to Port Jervis, NY. Tonight, through the hospitality of Fr. Matt Newcomb at the Parish of the Immaculate Conception we are staying at the Parish center. Carlin and I are looking forward to Tom Gouterman joining us tomorrow for our excursion of pain, joy and laughter.