Category Archives: Stories

This Is My Prayer

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

The kingdom of God is justice and peace  and joy through the Holy Spirit Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom. —Taizé Community Notice it’s not “open to us” but “open in us.” The gate is in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Living from the Heart

Posted on September 21, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Today a new cohort will gather at Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island to begin the Living from the Heart course. I’ll be there too, co-facilitating with Deb, Jeff, and Brent. I expect the participants will be excited and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A New Kind of Happy

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

It was raining and the forecast was for rain all week. I wouldn’t have minded if it was a typical week of writing, seeing directees, and going to the Wednesday Lunch Club, but all that was scheduled for the next … Continue reading →

Posted in Homelessness, Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Discovering My True Self

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I know I shouldn’t compare myself with others. There’ll always be someone who is kinder, wiser, and taller than I am. But it’s not so easy to let go of comparisons when it seems like I’m the only one in … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Rob Des Cotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Waiting for the Eternal

Posted on August 24, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Soon after my eight-day retreat, I queued up the last five blog posts so they would be published while I was away on vacation. It felt good to know I didn’t need to have another post ready until August 24. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Doorway

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My Eight-Day Retreat: Part 5 Father Roshan picked up on the theme of finding the lost and assigned me the story of Zacchaeus for one of my prayers. I took the despised tax-collector’s place. However, in my story, everyone was … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mystical, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Seeking and Finding the Lost

Posted on August 13, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My Eight-Day Retreat: Part 4 On Day Five of my eight-day retreat, Father Roshan invited me to pray with a few “Joyful Mysteries.” In the first, I relived a wonderful visit with our now 36-year-old son and his wife. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

O That You Would Vanquish My Fears

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My Eight-Day Retreat: Part 3 On the fourth day of my eight-day retreat, Father Roshan asked me to pray with three “Sorrowful Mysteries.” The first memory that returned to me was the day our son, who was sixteen at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment