Still in KC

I'm still in Kansas City for a couple of more days. This week we worked on helping Betty get her cottage cleaned out and ready for moving and got her moved into a very attractive apartment, where she'll have all the help she needs. She is delighted with her new "digs" and there are plenty of people there waiting to welcome her. It's a big relief.

At this point, of course, my regular routine is competely disrupted. But the disruption seems not to carry over to the deeper parts of my life. Prayer, when I turn to it, flows easily and naturally. Actually, more often than not, it starts itself and I just become aware that it is going on, and then I "tune in". So, in spite of not often "doing" what I usually do in the spiritual part of my life, that part of my being seems to carry right on, doing what it needs to do. I know this wouldn't last forever, but I'm grateful for this on a temporary basis, and it feels deeply nourishing.

It sure helps that I'm in a place of great beauty. I'm in a semi-rural part of Johnson County, and the house I'm in is backed up to a completely wooded area. The house is full of glass and both the living room and my bed room look out on the woods, and a small pond and a stream that runs down at the bottom of the hill that the house sits on. At the moment, the whole vista is covered with fresh snow, and there is predicted to be more tonight and tomorrow. The fact that I'm not going to have to do anything about getting out of the house if I don't want to certainly adds to the relaxation. All I have to do right now is see that the fireplace is tended to and enjoy it.

Last night, just at midnight, several geese flew over the house, honking as they went, and then an owl called out. Wonderful to have that to fall asleep to.

And I'm also sustained in this part of the journey by some old and very deep friendships, and the strength of that has eased my journey all this past two weeks.

I'm also getting to the place where I'm longing to be home and back to my community and my usual life by the Hudson River. Hopefully that will happen on Tuesday, and the next time you hear from me things will more somewhat more usual.