I'm Famous!

Well, I'm in the newspaper, on tv, and on the internet, if that counts as famous.  Last night, four of the community members and I went to a peaceful, silent protest against capital punishment - a man was executed early this morning in Washington.  We stood on the steps of the state capitol building in Olympia for an hour, holding signs and exercising our democratic rights to free speech and public gatherings.  Back before I became an English major, I had considered Peace Studies, and my roommates can testify to my strong feelings against war and violence.  You can see the 2.5 minute news report at: http://www.q13fox.com/videobeta/62400424-9c3d-4c75-bfe9-2924c82213d9/News/EXECUTION-PROTESTS-IN-OLYMPIA

Otherwise, things have started to settle into a nice routine.  I've been running in the mornings (!), and on Tuesday I saw a pair of great horned owls!  S. Sharon said this is a very rare sight - people usually only see one at a time.  I hear them every now and then, and it's nice to have companions with whom I can welcome the dawn.  A unique part of living in Washington is that there isn't really a horizon - the trees are in the way.  S. Monika described it as being in a bowl.

I've become a regular at the library - I think I've been there every day except one this week.  Ss. Anamaria and Redempta have both started working in earnest for the semester, so we've been checking out children's books and looking for articles on education and poverty, respectively.  S. Anamaria has to read 5 Newberry Honor books this semester, so I've been trying to remember my favorite ones so she can ready them!  I keep thinking of my bookshelves at home and how I wish I could have brought my whole library here.  S. Redempta and I also watched a movie called Kundun this week - it's about the current Dalai Lama and his exile into India from Tibet.  I'm hoping to watch the Lion King with them this weekend!  They both think my last name is really funny.

We're on our third puzzle - an English garden, 1000 pieces.  I can now claim competency in dish-washing and knowing when to stand and sit during prayers.  S. Anamaria calls me her Minnesota baby :-).  I do feel like a youngest sister a lot here - I'm identifying with you, Rikka.  I have so much to learn from these wise, wonderful women who really LIVE their lives.  Which brings me to my lesson:

I have been thinking a lot about what the word "free" means.  I read the quote "Imprison my soul in your love, O Lord, so I may be free" on my first day here, and I keep wondering how that works.  I think being free is not doing whatever you want, whenever you want; it is doing what you are meant or called to do, or maybe doing what is best.  (How you figure out your calling or "what is best" is still pretty mysterious to me...maybe it will be a forthcoming lesson.)  But there is something about the sisters, both here and at St. Ben's, that seems so free to me - they have courage and will and the ability to move where and when they need to.  This freedom comes from their faith, I think, from their ability to entrust their souls to God's prison of love.  Hmmm. 

S. Maureen taught me how to text pictures to myself, so here's one of the Sacred Path of Enchantment. 

Have a wonderful weekend!  Peace and love!