I’m 5 years old and today is one of those special, going-in-the-photo-album-keepsake-kinda days. I’m having a sleepover at my grandparents house and I get to do one of my favorite things: dress up as a nun. [I know there’s a picture of me somewhere all decked out with a rosary around my neck and habit on my head but I couldn’t find it today]. These are the best days. Grandma and Granddad are giving me tons of attention, they seem so proud. They tell me that when I grow up I can be a nun and serve God. I love to impress them, but I really LOVE the idea of impressing God. I don’t know exactly what this means, but I know that I want it. I want to be chosen by God. I want to be special. I want to get into Heaven of course (as my grandparents promise will happen if I obey him), but more importantly, I want to feel the promise of what Grandma calls God’s love. “What does that feel like?” I ask Grandma.She says it feels better than the best thing I can possibly imagine. Hmmm, “Better than the feeling in my mouth when I eat a vanilla ice cream cone?” “Yes, much better” she replies. I’ll have to think about that for a while. I really like how we all say prayers to Mother Mary on the couch together. Mother Mary sounds amazing. She’s the mother of God, after all. We pray to her a lot. She must be important.I want to be her when I grow up. If you asked me in my twenties what I thought about this I would have said they were trying to make sure I never had sex. Now I know they were onto something.They took an hour out of every day to pray together as a couple. They made ritual and devotion a part of their every day life, not just something that happened in church on Sundays. Through meal time blessings, holiday traditions, relationship commitments, serving their community as school teachers, and so much more they brought their love for God into their lives. They weren’t perfect that’s for sure, especially in terms of personal ownership or development, but their devotion to God was one thing that never waivered. I hope they know how grateful I am to to have inherited this from them. Blessings, rituals, prayers, devotion, service, ceremony, can all be a way of life if we take the time to prioritize it.
Choosing a spiritual path has allowed me to:
trust myself to make decisions
heal from toxic relationships
feel an abundance of creative inspiration
have closer connections with my loved ones
overcome chronic pain and illness
align with my purpose to serve othersAnd so much more!
Contact me to discuss how spiritual mentorship can support you in your life today.
Me at 5, and as a teenager with my grandparents. Can you spot Mother Mary? Also the letter Grandma wrote me for my 16th birthday.