Love is...

When I was a kid, there used to be a daily cartoon in the newspaper called Love Is... the picture would always have the same two characters, the boy and girl, naked and cherublike, with some kind of cute or witty saying about what "Love is... "

This cartoon came to mind today, because I've been thinking about love a lot recently, and how blessed I am to be loved by so many people in so many ways.

When Mum got sick, and we eventually got the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, I was overwhelmed by the love and care of people, from all different areas of my life, through phone calls, text messages, emails, Facebook messages and even some old fashioned snail-mail cards, and so many people praying for Mum and for me. It's been a very humbling experience, and thinking about it still brings me to tears :-).

More recently, when I was going through some other difficult emotional stuff, expressions of love and support came from some very unexpected sources, which made me realise that I have a depth of friendship with some people that I hadn't realised before.

And then, there is my experience here in New Norcia.

I have felt surrounded by love here. I am a 'regular' visitor here, although my visits tend to be only once or twice a year, and it's been around 2 years since my last visit. However, when I arrived here on the bus at 11:30 am on Tuesday, settled into my room, went to midday prayer, and then after lunch Dom Chris (who seems to have been dubbed "The Hospitality Monk" in his current role) came looking for me to say hello, and I got my usual 'hug and kiss from Dom Chris'.  I was reading in the Rule of Benedict the other day something about the requirement for the monks to offer visitors a kiss of greeting... but only AFTER they'd prayed together... and when I thought of my arrival on Tuesday, I was able to tick that box... 

But in addition to Dom Chris taking that part of the Rule seriously, most of the other monks, whilst they didn't kiss me per se, did make a point of lurking about after the afternoon prayer, to say hello and welcome me. Now, when  you think of  how many people pass through New Norcia as guests each year, and how infrequently, in the overall scheme of things, I come here, that's pretty darned impressive. I've obviously made an impression in them, and there's a certain mutual relationship that has built over time, and I do feel loved in all of that.

There have also been other staff around the place- the librarian, the museum collections manager (whom I have done some work for on past visits) and other people around the place, who recognised me and greeted me warmly when they saw me. And of course, Gabrielle, the monastery organist and liturgy coordinator and Peter, the archivist, who are always very warm and genuinely seem to enjoy catching up with me when I come here. Again, when I think of how many people they would encounter in their roles coming through the community, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy to think of the warm relationship that I have developed with both of them too.

Love is an interesting thing. There can be times when we can want love in certain ways from certain people, and be disappointed when we don't get that. And I can certainly relate to that feeling. However, when I look around me at the people in my life who genuinely love me, I can't complain, and am truly blessed. So for those of you who fall into this category of people who love me... thank you. :-)