A week ago as I was thinking about upcoming travel, I was reminded of Mary Chapin Carpenter’s song, “What Does is Mean to Travel”. Her lyrics include these lines:
What does it mean to travel
With your suitcase by the handle
Holding everything you need
Walking slow or running
Toward somebody or from something
Trade your longing in for speed
What does it mean to travel
And from taking off to landing
You could feel your heart expanding
For the first time that I can remember, I had to cancel a planned trip. Unknown “oldering” symptoms got in my way. I know it was the right thing to do, but what regret I have.
This morning, while letting a super-hot shower-spray cover my sorenesses, I was reminded of Helen Reddy’s song, “I am Woman”.
The part of the song I kept replaying in my head was,
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am womam.
That song came out in 1971, and it was an anthem for multitudes of women, including myself. While I’ve not ever felt totally invincible, I’ve felt a certain level of being invincible. Thinking about travel in particular, my friends and family have marveled at how I’m always on the go. I’ve marveled as well. It may be that I needed to remain on the go so I didn’t miss out on my travel expectations. More likely it is because I am resistive to slowing down, certainly to stopping.
So here I am stopped. It’s definitely not a good look for me. But what I’m trying to do in these moments of aches and pains, is to believe I’ve needed to stop to rest. That this rest has been mandated for my own good. So in the long run I can take my suitcase in hand and depart. And arrive.
I am receiving a daily AdventWord meditation during Advent from the Virginia Theological Seminary. Twenty-four emails during the period of Advent, each offering a word to consider for meditative practice during this time of slowing down, of watching and waiting.
The first word in this series is JOURNEY. Here are the sentences accompanying the word:
Pause and imagine a world without Google maps–a world where journeys carry both risk and opportunity. The route is difficult to determine; wrong turns are inevitable. Yet every turn of such a journey opens new horizons and strangers met along the way may become friends. Pause the journey of life. Pause and remember that God is our companion on this journey–present in the moments of pain and of joy.
Indeed.
Traveling mercies.
Cometsgirl 
Ginny I hope whatever is ailing you is getting better. I mentioned you today to a dear friend of mine in Atlanta who is also Episcopal and I think in your parish(?) She is also an art consultant and like you, not a BS person😜 I hope next time you are in Atlanta or when she comes up to visit, the three of us can have lunch so you can meet her. Wishing you and Evan a happy holiday season. Hope to see you after all this nasty weather ends. Temme
Sent from my iPhone Please forgive typos
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Healing prayers my friend 🙏🏼
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