I lost myself in our conversation, feeling it was more important to be present in that moment than to be on time for the service. When I finally pushed open the Iona chapel door, I heard the piano playing, the congregants singing a song that was familiar from another place. Tears splashed my eyes as … Continue reading Then Sings My Soul
Author: conniesedona317
A Day in the Highlands
I wanted my husband, David, to hurry up which was difficult with his knee injury, making his way with a crutch. I'd scheduled a twelve-hour trip into the Scottish Highlands. The Rabbie's Tour Company would pull out at 8:00 sharp. Regardless, I needed to be quiet and patient. David was moving as best he could. … Continue reading A Day in the Highlands
Bringing Home the Boon
It’s been over two weeks since I returned from my pilgrimage to Iona. I’ve often thought of the people from our community at the Abbey, remembering their faces and snippets of conversations. I can feel the chill of that early morning air and remember the fierce wind that was sometimes mixed with rain. When I … Continue reading Bringing Home the Boon
Fall Tapestry
October is a month of fall festivals and breast cancer awareness. Yesterday, both came together when I attended the Big Foot Festival near my hometown of Sanford. I don’t know a lot about Big Foot, but I went to support my friend, Donna, who’d organized the event as a fund raiser for clean water efforts. … Continue reading Fall Tapestry
Southern Drawl
I’ve encountered reactions to my Southern accent on my journeys outside the Southeast. But I didn’t expect to when I traveled to Iona. In an international place, I assume there’ll be many accents so that none will stand out. That’s what I’d experienced on my trips to New York City --so many foreign tongues that … Continue reading Southern Drawl
Some of Our People
The last time I took Mama to see her brother, we passed a car pulled over by a state trooper, blue lights flashing. Mama focused on the loaded down Honda with the officer talking to the driver. “I hope that’s none of our people in that kind of trouble,” she said. Our people could have … Continue reading Some of Our People
Catch the Early Ferry
The winds on the western isles of Scotland are relentless. I viewed their impact on the Sound of Iona from the dining room of Seaview B & B, my accommodations in the village of Fionnphort. The owner, John, had previously been a fisherman and was expert at judging the wind and the sea. Knowing I … Continue reading Catch the Early Ferry
Walk Across Iona
I approached my week at the Abbey wondering how I would fit in. Now I look back at all our activities together and see glimpses of myself. One of the things I'd looked forward to was our pilgrimage across the island to places of historical and religious significance. We all dressed in waterproofs and hiking … Continue reading Walk Across Iona
We Gather
We gather. Forty-one of us from around the world, pilgrims to Iona, Scotland. We share stories of our lives, in one-to-one conversations across the table, in our dorm rooms as we prepare for the day, in dyads during morning sessions. How interesting what has brought each person to this place-- all unique yet with the common … Continue reading We Gather
Path to Iona
We parted in Edinburgh--David for the airport and I headed for Waverly Train station. The remainder of our trip together we were able to do the things we planned, just more slowly and with more caution. I felt that tension of transition, saying "Goodbye"to David, praying for his travel with a crutch, and moving … Continue reading Path to Iona
Connie Rosser Riddle 