We stood at the West Tisbury shuttle bus stop on a Saturday afternoon in Martha’s Vineyard. I’d been experiencing that island in Massachusetts for the first time, staying in a hostel for $27.00 a night—the only way I could afford that expensive place. I’d enjoyed the morning at the Farmer’s Market at the Grange Hall … Continue reading The Stranger on the Bus
Iona scotland
Things You Leave Behind
It's New Year's Eve and I'm remembering that day in September when I stood with the others on the shore of Iona Sound. All forty-one of us from the Abbey were invited to take a pilgrimage to all the important sites on the island. That portion of the beach was where St. Columba and his … Continue reading Things You Leave Behind
Enlarge My Territory
The day after I was fired from The Research Company, I packed my suitcase for our family vacation at Kiawah Island, South Carolina. I was in a state of shock, thinking that for the first time in my adult life, I had no job to return to. My husband, David came in and handed me … Continue reading Enlarge My Territory
Sinners and Saints
Pilgrims have traveled to Iona, Scotland for centuries to the Abbey founded by Saint Columba. But before he was seen as a saint, he was recognized as a sinner for leading his Irish clan in a battle where three thousand died. He is every man and every woman; all of us with our shadow side … Continue reading Sinners and Saints
Then Sings My Soul
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
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
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
