After a road trip from the Convent through North Carolina seeing extraordinary frescoes (more about that later), I am staying at dear friends’ home on a ridge in the southern Appalachians Mountains.

Today we took a walk by the Tallulah River. Last glimmers of fall color peaked through the trees. It was exquisite.

I ended my silence today with Diurnum (Noonday Prayers). But first I sat in the Chapel and prayed the St. Mary’s directory–lifting each person’s name in prayer. I was saddened that four more of our family are now in the place of Light Perpetual–John, Suzanne, Susanne, and Lou.

Later today I’m off to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit another Woman Touched by Grace, Sally.

It’s a beautiful fall day and, as always, God is very good.

As an introvert, I require times of solitude. I love people. I love being with people. However, I process information by being alone.

Silent retreats aren’t difficult for me. During this triduum of silence, I have been encouraged to go beyond the familiar silence of my whispering mind to that deeper place where God alone dwells.

So this retreat is a time to be with the Beloved. The One who loves us so very very much and will wait with us for an eternity to open our hearts to that love. Silent only to God’s voice.

In silence I eat with Beloved. In silence I walk with the Beloved. The Beloved sits with me as I read and I write. The Beloved is with me in my resting and my rising.

In the quiet, I am reading Scarlet Music, a novel about the twelfth century abbess, mystic, poet, composer, prophet, healer, and artist, St. Hildegarde of Bingen. Here, freshly translated, is one my favorite quotes.

….but I stretch out my hand to God to be sustained by him like a feather born on the wind.

Amen.

I flew to Augusta, Georgia, yesterday on what may be the two easiest plane trips of the Sabbatical. I was picked up at the airport by Sister Miriam who delivered me to St. Helena’s Convent in time for Vespers.

St Helena’s is the home of the Order of St. Helena, an Episcopal community for women religious which, as God would have it, celebrated the anniversary of their founding today.

I have wanted to come here since the earliest days of the planning of my Sabbatical because St.Mary’s uses their excellent inclusive language version of the Psalms, the St. Helena Psalter. This began as a field trip of sorts which has led to a three day silent retreat.

A am a little over half way through my Sabbatical, and it is time to be alone with the God of love.