Category Archives: Poetry

Hopelessly Lost

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“I don’t know where I am,” I shouted into the phone. In truth, I had a good idea where I was, but I couldn’t quite explain it to Fred who was at home furiously trying to nail down my location … Continue reading →

Posted in community, Poetry, Reflections, Seed Cracked Open, Stories | Tagged bike riding, Dano, Deb Arndt, Esther Hizsa, Haiku, Living from the Heart, prayer, Proverbs 15:1, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Susan Adams | 2 Comments

Empty

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Empty Before you go to bed, shake the dust off your feet. Open your front door and –with a shoe in each hand– smack those soles together. Like a TV preacher, tell those demons: “Be gone!” Before you go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Poverty of Spirit | Tagged A Good Night's Sleep, bed, Clement Hurd, Ephesians 3:18-20, Erika Wittlieb, Esther Hizsa, Fuel Radio, Goodnight Moon, Let Go, Margaret Wise Brown, Rod Janz, Seán Ó Domhnaill, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

Right Where I Am

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I looked at this drawing of an injured bird and felt tender inside. I lingered for a while with that feeling and the sense of being held. Then, in the retreat’s spacious silence, I reflected on a poem by Mary … Continue reading →

Posted in Helpful Images, Poetry, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Brian Wakelin, Byron O’Donnell, Devotion, Esther Hizsa, He Will Know, Mary Oliver, Olive B. Chan, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Striped Sparrow, The Beautiful, wounded bird in hands | 1 Comment

Sometimes I Don’t Care

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Sometimes I don’t care and I don’t care that I don’t care. I’m tired of feeling guilty for my lack of compassion for eating too much for not trying to be more Christlike and I don’t want to figure out … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged Brian Stiller, clay pots, Esther Hizsa, gangs, Greg Boyle S.J., Healing trauma, Henri Nouwen, Homeboy Industries, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

Portage

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

“You’re the only one here who isn’t retired,” my brother said to me. I was with two of my siblings and their spouses at my brother’s cottage in Minnesota. They were planning a trip to France next year and welcomed … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Poetry, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Aging, Canoe, Esther Hizsa, Isaiah 48:6-7, Martin Cathrae, OakleyOriginals, portage, Praying, retirement, Rocky Portage, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Stoplog Canoes, Tarah, transitions, Unfolding LIght | Leave a comment

God Desires Us

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Today I am on the last day of my eight-day retreat. So I offer you this post from 2015 which illustrates the loving God I am retreating with. “You can’t catch the Macdonald bus here,” a man says to me at … Continue reading →

Posted in Mystical, Poetry, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged #22 Macdonald, Advent, Creation of Adam, Daniel Ladinsky, Esther Hizsa, He Desired Me Sio I Came Close, Love Poems from God, Sistine Chapel, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Teresa of Avila | 1 Comment

A Belated Valentine for You

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Lately, I’ve been writing my posts on the week I publish them. But this week I was on Bowen Island co-facilitating the Living from the Heart course, so I knew I needed a stand-in. I found one, or should I … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Elisa, Ernest Mann, Esther Hizsa, Happy Valentine's day, Living from the Heart, Naomi Shihab Nye, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Valentine | 2 Comments

Purple Everywhere

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

John and Peter rush to the tomb. If it’s empty, as she said, then– Prayers rise to their lips leap from their hands. God runs to meet them, spilling purple everywhere. Credits and References: Painting of the disciples Peter and … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Eugène Burnand, Peter and John running to the tomb, resurrection, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | Leave a comment

Writing a Prayer

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My friend wrote this icon. “You don’t paint icons,” she said. “You write them. You are writing a prayer. “You begin with a small brush. Then use smaller and smaller ones.” She entered the tomb with her brushes, paint and trepidation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Holy Week, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Ann Green, Easter poem, Easter Saturday, Esther Hizsa, iconography, Russian Icon, spiritual director Burnaby, The Entoumbment | 2 Comments

Our Hands Have Touched God

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. —1 John 1:1 On this day, my prayer takes … Continue reading →