Category Archives: compassion

The Path of Wholeness

Posted on May 25, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

You make me whole again,steering me off worn, hard paths.–Psalm 23:3 (The Voice, adapted) A part of me gets pretty loudwhen space isn’t given to others,equality isn’t honoured,feelings are dismissed,or fear is preached. I squirm in my seat,anger prickling.I want … Continue reading →

Posted in community, compassion, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Dan Irizarry, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, Living from the Heart, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 23:3, Psalms for Praying, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon, Steve, The Voice, Two paths diverged | 2 Comments

A Long, Loving Look

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him and asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ADHD, Aging, community, compassion, Humour, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged autumn, Esther Hizsa, Ginko Joy, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, Ignatian Spirituality, Living from the Heart, Mark 8-22-25, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon, Sylvia Sassen, Vanita Hampton Wright, Walter Burghardt | 2 Comments

The Conversion of Rosie: Part 1

Posted on May 10, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

I took my mom to get her hair cut. Since she had chemo over a year ago, no hairdresser’s been able to tame her soft white hair. She looks like Punk Rocker meets Alfalfa. Once, I saw her elderly tablemate … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, False Self, Reflections | Tagged Acts 9, Alfalfa, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, Little Rascals, Living from the Heart, No Bad Parts, Norman Rockwell, overly responsible, Richard Schwartz, Rosie the Riveter, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | 1 Comment

Expanding and Contracting

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.–John 6:24 I was in the crowd sitting on that grassy hillside. You fed us bread … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Mindfulness, Mystical, Poetry, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Contract, Earhworm, Esther Hizsa, Expand, Feeding of Five Thousand, How Healing Comes, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, John 6, Living from the Heart, Ostaleri, pcstratman, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | Leave a comment

Signs of Resurrection

Posted on April 26, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

On Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. –John 20:1 (CEV) The first sign of Christ’s resurrection came early.I recognized it when … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Mindfulness, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Dances of Universal Peace, Easter, Esther Hizsa, Fill your cup, gerbera, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, jeiline, Living from the Heart, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 9, resurrection, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon, Vitya_maly | Leave a comment

Resurrection Is Personal

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

Resurrection isn’t just about living forever. It’s about living now and how we pick up our cross, go through death and become a new revised version of ourselves. Resurrection is personal. I remember the Easter I entered the tomb after … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Holy Week, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Andrey Mironov, Easter, Esther Hizsa, resurrection, Resurrection of Lazarus, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

Scheduling a Time to Grieve

Posted on April 19, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

I told my spiritual director about the deep grief that overwhelmed me after my surgery and my grief returned quietly with tears. We listened –You, my spiritual director and I– to that tender part of me and heard what was … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, grief, Holy Saturday, loss, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | 2 Comments

This Good Friday

Posted on April 18, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

Crucifixion by Ukrainian artist Natalya Rusetskain You take in all our suffering feel every violent act every hope destroyed each final breath. From the cross you see through our denial and delusions. No justification dares return your gaze. From the … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged crucifixion, Esther Hizsa, Good Friday, Natalya Rusetskain, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Ukraine | Leave a comment

The Healing Power of Compassion

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

I awoke after surgery expecting painand discomfortbut I didn’t expect a hidden griefto break free, rise up andoverwhelmme. In that moment,I knew,as solidly as I knew anything,I needed a hand to hold–a friend who understood to stay with mein this cycloneof sadness. … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Lent, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged after the storm, Bill Withers, compassion, cyclone, Esther Hizsa, grief, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, Lean On Me, Living from the Heart, Picryl, Pxhere, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | 1 Comment

We Need the Mind of Christ

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.–Albert Einstein What if I start with “we”?I didn’t create the problems the world faces, not on my own. But I do have an impact, good … Continue reading →