Thursday, September 24, 2015

The Monastery Memories that Restore a Measure of Calm

In times of trouble, I remember the monastery, which helps me control my panic:






I think of the silence:





I remember the Psalms wafting their way to the rafters:



I remember to trust in the hospitality of the world, where my needs will often be met in ways that I can't anticipate.



I think of my friends, both in the pages of books and in the people who join me on retreat:



But most of all, I remember the monastery dog, who led me across the grounds:




I think of the monastery dog's contentment, and I resolve to adopt the mindset of a dog:



I will live moment by moment and to trust that all will be well.  I will remember the arms that hold us all:


2 comments:

NomJ said...

Hi there, happy to make the acquaintance today of an "intentional community" loving wannabe (I have visited 5 in my life, lived in 1 once, and long believed in these) along with your being a monastic and committed marriage believer and enjoyer. To find you as a creative writing prof (and beyond) is an extra delight. (I googled evangelical monasticism co-writer...wishing I knew such a person. Sigh.)
I come to you via your Monastic Valentine's Day article, over at Living Lutheran.

Blessings and thanks for all. Hope we meet up again sometime,

Nom J / Toronto

Kristin Berkey-Abbott said...

Thanks so much for commenting! It's great to meet you. I understand the yearning for people that you have yet to meet. I feel like I have friends who understand the writer part of me, and friends who understand the Lutheran part of me, and friends who also love monasticism, and social justice friends--but it's the rare friend who gets it all.