Part of what has surprised me about the loss of China has been how much my sense of grieving has been shaped by feeling guilty. Of course there’s the what-if’s…
Author: Carl McColman
Soul Friend and Storyteller. Lay Cistercian, Centering Prayer Presenter, Author, Blogger, Podcaster, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Leader.
China (1989-2010)
Loving God, our beloved pet and companion, China, is on her final journey. We will miss China dearly because of the joy and affection she has given us. Bless China…
The Die is Cast
I have scheduled China’s final visit to the vet for 5:30 PM today. Yesterday was a blessing. I had some errands to run, but when I came home China hobbled…
The Lion in Winter
My eldest cat, China, is well over 20 years old. She was a rescue kitty — she came to me when I managed the bookstore in Sewanee, and a fraternity…
"An enlightened power of reason and a love common to all"
John Ruusbroec (1293-1381) is one of the greatest of the Christian mystics. His masterpiece, The Spiritual Espousals (sometimes translated as The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage) in my opinion belongs…
Tessa Bielecki’s Recommended Reading for Growing in Intimacy with Christ
In her CD teaching series Wild at Heart: Radical Teachings of the Christian Mystics, former-Carmelite-turned-desert hermit Tessa Bielecki offers a wealth of suggestions of books one can read to deepen…
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality is now available! Ask for it at your neighborhood bookstore, or order it online by clicking here.
A Kiss from Mom and a Lesson About Suffering
Early this morning (August 15, 2009) I had a dream in which I was standing outside a building, like an officer’s club on a small military base. It felt like…
Some Things Last (Benjamin Button, Contemplation, and Impermanence)
Fran and I went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Everyone is comparing it to Forrest Gump, but I think it’s more like what would happen if you…
At the Botanical Gardens
Pretty much every Sunday Fran, Rhiannon and I drive to Athens, GA, where my father lives. We take him out to lunch and sometimes do other fun stuff — like…
The Feast of St. Benedict: Ad Deificum Lumen
Today is the feast of St. Benedict. This morning at mass, Father Tom Francis (who works with me at the Abbey Store) preached on the Rule and on his life…
China
Fran and I are going through various CDs in which we’ve archived photos taken over the last five years, and finding a few odd treasures here and there. Here’s a…