Category Archives: compassion

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 →

Posted in autism, compassion, Lent, Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Book of Hours, Esther Hizsa, Ginny, I Corinthians 2:16, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, Living from the Heart, Mustang Joe, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon, The Book of Hours, The Thinker | Leave a comment

What Must I Do to Be Good?

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged Christ and the Rich Young Ruler, Christ's Appearance to the Two Disciples Journeying to Emmaus, Esther Hizsa, Heinrich Hofmann, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, John Linnell, lent, Living from the Heart, Louis Savary, Prayer of Imagination, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon, The New Spiritual Excercises | Leave a comment

Revelation

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

By the miracle of medicine and grace, my mother woke from the malaise of dementia. For two days, her quick mind was back. She laughed and shared stories. She hugged me and thanked me for taking care of her. As I … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Childhood, compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Ester Marie Doysabas, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, Living from the Heart, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 63, Psalms for Praying, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | Leave a comment

Sabbath Keeping

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Poetry, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Hand through wild grass, Hebrews 4:9, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, lloyd Morgan, Look and Learn, Matthew 13:1-8, Meester van Antwerpen, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | Leave a comment

What Is Taken Away

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

Whoever has will be given more;whoever does not have,even what they have will be taken from them.–Mark 4:25 (NIV) When I heard this scripture one morning, and thought about our generous God, I didn’t hear the word “even.” I heard, … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Poetry, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged A Yellow Crowned Woodpecker, bird in cherry blossom tree, Esther Hizsa, Hari K Patibanda, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, itoldya test1, John 1:16, Living from the Heart, Mark 4:25, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | Leave a comment

A Circle of Safety

Posted on January 31, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

My worrierworks tirelessly,always watching, bracing for bad news,seeing the possibility of disaster,and pushing the panic button. This fearful guardian has wearied mefor as long as I can remember.But when I discovered,as Dorothy did in The Wizard of Oz,that the one … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Poetry, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spiritual Excercises, KR Alliance, Living from the Heart, Mouse in a tea cup, Psalm 4:8, SoulStream, Spiritual Director North Okanagan, Spiritual Director Vernon | 2 Comments

My Heart Sings

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Esther Hizsa

The master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, … Continue reading →