Stranded on the Mainland: Inner Pilgrimage and Living Alone as a Spiritual Path:

Today is New Years Eve and the vigil of the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God . I just learned on the news that Betty White from the TV show Golden Girls has died.   She was 99 years old. Another Golden Girl I worked with at Ryerson University, Sandra Kerr, died this year too... in October. Both were genuinely good, funny, kind women. God bless them, bless all those they loved, all who worked with them, all those whose lives they touched, and all who mourn their loss. Thank you Sandra Kerr and Betty White. Happy New Year to all the Golden Girls I know and to my Alma Mater, Ryerson (now Metropolitan) University. Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you. Amen NicePNG https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=84vC8dbvnes  

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family.   I have a holy unusual extended family!  We are scattered far and wide with gifts and issues aplenty. The word "unusual" reminds me of a wonderful conversation between two brothers in the 2005 movie, Millions, that I can really really relate to!   I will put the link at the end of this post.  Listen for the word "unusual" in the movie trailer below (you'll hear unusual at around minute 1:45).  God bless our wonderful, crazy, unusual families in 2022 and in the future. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=QHcQF8LNvfE Amen unsplash

"Follow where the Joy is leading...  It is the sure sign God is alive in you!" Today is Christmas Eve.  It is also nine months to the day that I started blogging.  Nine months; the same number of months it takes for a child to grow and be born.  I continue to be amazed at how God works in my life, writing, and healing journey.  Thanks be to God! It's good to be back to blogging after taking a break.   Later tonight, I'm looking forward to 3 live Christmas Eve services.  The gift of proximity, laptop, time zones, and zoom making this possible.  I only wish they all came with turkey dinner. First is a Salvation Army service at 6:30 PM (in-person) with my neighbours in Scarborough. Second is an 8:30 PM East Coast mass (live-streamed) with my old pastor from Our Lady of Lourdes downtown... where I used to live.   Third is Midnight (zoom) Mass from my beautiful home parish of St. Basil's at the University of Toronto, with my Roman Cathol...