Blessed beyond measure—that is how I have come to speak of my life in spite of the many tragic ups and downs that have occurred over the past seventy-five plus years. Community has always been a strong support holding me when I have needed holding, encouraging me to move forward when I would have given up hope to ever imagine a brighter future. But the fact is, I live in that brighter future each and every day.
I am a member of a contemplative body of people whose lives center around faith and Oneness in Spirit, nurtured by shared prayer and other quiet, affirming practices. My spirit has always needed and sought out community: first in monastic living, then in marriage and family (ongoing), in prayer gatherings of various configurations, and most recently, in the Episcopal House of Prayer.
The finding of this group of fellow pilgrims has enriched my life with workshops on the mystics, teachings on prayer practices, prayer experiences, retreats, and most importantly, through the relationships among members. Blessed and welcomed are two words that immediately spring to mind when I look back over the past several years I have been associated with the contemplative community at the Episcopal House of Prayer.
