Walking on Sunshine

I have wonderful news - I've been accepted to grad school!!!  I'll be attending the University of South Dakota next year in the Master's program in English.  All of this waiting and hoping and trying to be patient and accepting has finally, finally ended.

I still haven't fully accepted that it's true - I have a future, a place to go, work to do, responsibilities to accomplish.  When I told S. Anamaria, she said, "Your Easter has come early!"  And S. Sharon even said the forbidden "A" word a few days early!  All the sisters have really rejoiced with me about this enormous milestone in my life - they have been asking for weeks and months about what's going to happen to me next, and I feel so blessed to be able to share this success with them. 

I have written so much in this blog - about how my life has changed over this past year, about how I have changed in my relationship with God and my relationship with myself, about how being in this place has made me grow into a fuller, more adult, more gentle and open Megan.  I only have a few weeks left, and now that I know what's coming next, I feel the separation more acutely - I can focus on being HERE now that I don't have to worry about the future. 

I spoke with my fellow volunteers in Puerto Rico today, and we all agreed that it's going to be bittersweet to end our volunteer experience.  But we also all agreed that we have a whole month left in which to learn from our sisters, and that is what I hope to do for the rest of my time in Washington.

The title of my blog reflects my feelings since I got my acceptance letter and also the amazing weather we've had the past two days here in Washington.  I took a long walk today, and, when I finished, I couldn't figure out what feeling was so intense inside me.  I sat down on the warm grass and just soaked in the rays of the sun, and eventually it came to me: the feeling was peace.

I have just one more thing to add, since this will probably be my last Lenten post.  Last night, the sisters had a communal reconciliation service.  We all went up to the altar, where a bowl of holy water was sitting, and blessed each other in pairs.  When it was time for S. Mary, one of the oldest sisters, to bless her partner, she said, "Sister, I love you.  I forgive you for all things."  It was so simple, but it was so profound and sincere - I felt like she was saying those words to me, like God was speaking through her, right to my soul.  I felt so purely forgiven, so unconditionally loved, by her words.  And they weren't even spoken to me!  I will never forget that moment.

I wish you all a blessed Holy Week and Easter!

Peace and love, peace and love.