"Pilgrimage is a powerful metaphor for any journey with the purpose of finding something that matters deeply to the traveler" Phil Cousineau
This pilgrimage we have been on has carried us over mountains and into deep valleys and we are not done yet. The journey continues. We are seeking wholeness and healing. This matters deeply to us, to our fellow travelors and to those supporting us along the way.
Today, we had another first. I left Doug to travel to McCall to a Diocesan Council meeting. It is the first time I have left him at home and I have gone out of town. It is the first time I was gone this long without anyone checking in on him. He tells me that it felt normal for him. He got his own lunch and snacks and entertained himself. While I worried some, he was fine. In a sense it was another step toward normal We had a day, similar to our life before Doug's sickness. And tonight Doug did everything on his own to get ready for bed, including getting into bed on his own from his wheelchair. I just stood nearby and watched. It is such a relief to have come this far on our journey.
While I would have loved to have spent the night at Paridise Point Church Camp in McCall, Doug is not quite ready for new unfamiliar environments. It is harder for him to be independent. We would not have the supports that we have at home. But it was a lovely day in the mountains, at the lake, with wonderful people. While it was a long way to travel in one day, it was restorative to have some time alone for me, w ith mountains, trees, lakes and supportive people. It does not get any better than that. It was another successful day and a step futher on our journey.
And so we pray:
God of Journeys and Resurrection, we give thanks for all of the days of our lives. We give thanks for people to journey with. We give thanks for mountains and valleys, and for new vistas along the way. While this journey is long, we give thanks for moments of rest and restoration. We pray for continued strength to carry on each day. We pray that each step will lead us to wholeness and healing. In your Name we ask it. Amen
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