Guest Post – Sister Clare…

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I’m travelling again today – back to Sydney.

The Hobart art gallery MONA is every bit as good as people say it is. I’ve been to art galleries all around the world – and MONA has to be up there with the best.

(pic below)

So over to Sister Clare – always wise, thought provoking, and irreverent at times too!

Thanks Sister…

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87 thoughts on “Guest Post – Sister Clare…”

  1. Well, here’s what’s been on my mind. Every so often I’ll post something here, and someone, (hi Steve) will say;”Is there anything you haven’t done?”The thing is, there have been countless times I have sat and wondered what I’ve actually done with my life, whether I’ve accomplished anything. I can think and think and try to remember – and come up pretty empty. I think that’s because I’ve evolved to a point of finally realising that nothing I do matters unless it touches or affects someone else in a positive way.The things that haven’t are just moments in a life lived selfishly.
    A couple of days ago Bill said to me, “What else can you offer on this tour?” (Besides Centering Prayer).Again, thinking well, what can I do, came up empty, so I turned it around and asked myself, at this stage in my life, what would I want to learn?
    And that’s what I want to talk about today. After assessing your life so far, and considering what the future may or may not hold for you,what do you want to learn? What would add some depth, or flavour, or finishing touches to the body of experience that has made you who you are. Would it be a new language? Why? A new skill? How would you apply that skill once you master it? Would you take it out into the world, or develop.it further personally? Your answer is only restricted by your imagination.It can be something you realistically couldn’t really do, and it doesn’t have to be useful. It can be whimsical, like tap dancing when your arthritis would never let you really do it- or it can be a new skill you always wanted to try, but never got around to it? It just has to add to your life in a way that would make you feel closer to complete,and make you feel good about yourself. I’ll start it off. I’ve always wanted to.go to space. I want to learn to be enough of an astonaut to see this beautiful blue world from afar….and then maybe head out into the galaxy to see what else I could find. How about you?

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    • Wow!

      That bends my head.

      Sister Clare in space!

      I love it!

      I’ll kick this wonderful post off – I would love to be able to play blues harmonica.

      Bill

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      • Bill, blues harmonica is so satisfying. I know two guys that play blues harp and they get so much out of expressing themselves that way.
        As for space, I’ve even written to Richard Branson asking if he’d consider a charity trip for a scraggy old nun. But he never answered back -not even to turn me down!

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        • Hi Sister –

          Richard Branson might just turn up at your doorstep one day with his spaceship parked on the grounds behind him.

          As for blues harp, I love the sounds, the rhythms, the fact hat you can carry it with you in your jeans pocket, and it seems a very earthy instrument. Very grounded. Unlike say a guitar, which can be ethereal.

          Bill

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      • Bill, thinking further about your reply -do you see yourself performing on stage, or in a smokey, bluesy club somewhere?Or just for your own pleasure?

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    • Sister and all, I know I am a few days behind, am out of town dealing with a family issue and limited access to wifi.

      If you could see me right now, I have this big grin on my face and slightly raised eyebrows…lol

      Sometimes I still attend networking meetings and seminars and they all at some time will ask you (What is your WHY) i.e. for the things you do, but most often about making money. It is very predictable what most people will write down… do be financially free, do help my kids , to pay of debts. etc etc.

      My WHY has been different for some time, since any of the above reasons are a given for me.

      So I say: I want to see our world and because of my recent travels, everyone assumes that is what I mean. When I qualify, I truly say what I mean… I WANT TO SEE OUR WORLD – there is stunt silence and then the clapping etc etc and what a neat wish and you go girl!

      So when I read your wish, I said to myself, now wouldnt that be a hoot, a nun and and a healer, looking down on our planet, and each in our own way bestowing blessings and in awe of creation.

      It only takes $250,000,00 per ticket US to pay to Sir Richard and off you are. This is a lot of money – yes – but doable – in many ways.

      I earned every penny I ever owned… so I feel comfortable in being selfish and saying to my offsprings… earn your own and dont expect a huge inheritance. 😉 Ingrid the Astronaut

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      • What a hoot, indeed! When do you want to go? I’m putting out positive energy, and I fully expect to go. What could be better than that nun,healer combo?

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  2. Sister, I think in space you could go fast enough to compress those 30 hr days of yours into the 24 hours we have here on earth. (isn’t that how it works???) So good plan!!!

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  3. Interesting question that I have been asking myself for a while. I have the time and to some extent the resources, but I have not found the full objective yet. But, in the interim, I am mellowing and allowing myself to be open to possibilities without feeling some obsession to move forward. Whimsically, I would like to fly a fighter jet (have since I was 18), play a guitar, play the piano, write a book and I don’t know right now what all. I will never fly a fighter jet, but perhaps one of the others. And then again, I don’t have to do anything. My job is to remain open to what life brings my way.

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      • Sister,

        I find there is a lot less stress from staying open to what may happen than trying to make something happen. If I am not open I may miss something. And whatever happens is more likely to be real. My long range plan is to get up in the morning. Steve

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      • You can’t force happiness,either. Its a matter of relaxing, opening up, thinking good thoughts, and if something comes, its great. And if not,wait and see what happens tomorrow!

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          • Hi there,
            I just want to tell you how happy I am for you and the new place of peace and happiness that you are creating. Its almost as if you have surrendered and have released all those other emotions and belief systems that were driving you in the past. I think it is incredible and that i am really proud of you.

            I know that Bill has created this safe place for all of us to share ourselves with one another and that it is typically between married people who are living together, or that are single and are speaking for themselves. But, you all know that Steve and I are separated so it may be somewhat awkward to give either one of us feedback but I believe that Steve would agree with me that we are both incredibly comfortable at this point to learn more about ourselves whether alone and separately and/or together.

            So, reading Steve’s honest, humble and truthful responses are exciting to me on many levels because more than anything I want him/you to be happy and fulfilled whether we are together or apart. Allowing things to happen for a man of action is really a huge change and to make that type of change after 71 years is beyond admirable. To enjoy a day for nothing more than having gratitude for being alive and healthy is a wonderful gift to give to yourself. Again, I am really proud of you.

            Xoxo

            Love,

            Jill

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          • Well, i guess i should say thanks. No secrets in our lives. 🙂 Since we are so public, isn’t it nice we are so amicable and supportive.

            Bill, you never know what you are going to get with this blog you created. and to think you just wanted to tell a few friends and family of your travels. Like it or not, Jill and i do add a unique dimension. And it is all Camino inspired.

            You gotta love my wife. I do.

            Steve

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          • You guys certainly do add an incredible dimension.

            Post the 10 gun reasons – THAT will add a dimension!

            Actually, better not…

            😀

            Bill

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          • Well Bill, they say we just entered the 5th dimension, so I guess we are just totally in sync!! and of course always in fashion!! Lol

            Xoxo

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          • Hi Sister
            Thank you as well for being all that you are to all of us. I realize that I didn’t respond to the question that you posed to us since I was so moved by Steve’s response. Id like to do that now. For the first time in my life I am worrying about no one but me, focusing on the very simple things in life and doing only those things that make me happy.

            I’ve never been a professional entertainer but have entertained many people, especially in the last 7 years with my outfits and my dancing. I have always wished that I could sing but have never even taken one voice lesson. In the last 13 years my voice went from being high pitched to being very low pitched in fact just this morning a man on the phone called me Mr Langham. I jokingly told him that I was In fact Mrs Langham but he proceeded to call me Mr. I was trying to change an airline reservation and was being told it would cost me $350 to do so. The person finally said ” I’m so sorry I keep calling you Mr, but your voice is so low. I responded that it was due to having a severe allergy problem ( which is the truth, imagine lauren bacalls voice even more gravelly) which is why I wanted to change my reservation to am earlier date. The great news is that he felt bad for his error and ended up waiving all but $50!! All this to say that I’m not sure I could sing now if I wanted to because my voice is so low!! But, if I could combine my dancing, and outfits with singing, well look out world. But, I try to live with the “never say never attitude, so who knows!!

            Xoxo

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          • Jill, I’m thinking Pearl Bailey, Della Reese -both low, smoky female voices that were lovely. And one of my dearest friends always sings the bass line in any harmony, and she sounds so beautiful. Its such a rich and unusual tone for a woman to sing, and so rare -you’d be a three way knockout with your outfits, dance and smoky singing!

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          • It all depends on what you fit in before you become a nun! There used to be a Sister in our Order who did her ministry rounds on her Harley, wearing her old leathers over her habit.

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          • Actually, Jill, she may have looked cool, but she was the cruelest, most manipulative human being I’ve ever met. I got to know her quite well, sadly -she was one of my first spiritual directors.

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          • Jill, I’ve never understood why women like that become nuns. Or how an Order ever decides they have “the right stuff “, and lets them join when the criteria for admission is so strict.

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          • So glad to hear you say that because sadly that is why I wanted to disassociate myself from the Catholic Church. The priests and nuns who taught us religion made me feel guilty about everything I thought and did and I already was pretty good at that on my own so I shied away from the whole idea of religion. Thank The Lord that my spiritual side continued to blossom otherwise I fear I would have been a truly lost soul and would have died at a very young age.

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          • What you say is so true, and so sad. I believe it hurts God deeply to see what is going on in the church, and the level of cruelty that seems to thrive in parts of it. Thats why I have always believed that you don’t have to go to church to find God, or to love and worship Him. I’m so glad you were able to survive that awful experience, and shame on us ( so many members of the church and clergy) for allowing it to be that way. Jesus taught us to love, to treat everyone with the same love God offers each of us. One of the reasons I became a nun is because I believe you can only change things from within.And I want the world to know that there are good and gentle nuns, too.

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          • Thank you for that Sister I’m not sure if I had shared this with PGs family but did talk about it on my own blog but as a child I kept waiting for a message from God to become a nun which of course never happened. But I did get a calling from him to move to PS and as weird as it might sound, to train gay men which is what I did. You like me have never understood cruelty even though I’m sad to say that when I’ve felt really threatened have been told that I was cruel which I have never understood. I offer my smiling eyes and my smile to everyone I meet and outside of my most intimate relationships have been the kindest to strangers only because I see everyone as a friend.

            I’m sad to say that I have been hurtful to those on my own household again when I have felt powerless, threatened and of course hurt. I’m so happy to know that there are mins like you out there because to me you represent the loving, accepting, nurturing spirit that is a reflection of the God that I have created in my mind.

            Sending love,

            Jill

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          • PS forgive the crazy typos I’m lucky enough to be on the beach on Hawaii right this second and can’t quite read my iPhone screen!! Yikes. 🙂

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  4. I want to learn guitar and take voice lessons. At the camp we go to each year, we have a night called “Boonie Bowl” where everyone who plays acoustic guitar (and mandolin or uke) gathers around a big fire bowl to play. For the past few years I have said I want to be a part of that (we need more women’s voices). Probably the reason why I “don’t have time” for this is because I tend to give all my time to others. But music is healing for me and I need to indulge more often.

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    • That sounds really satisfying! Remember, too that the more you give to yourself, the more you there is to give to others!

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      • My sister and her boyfriend are both professional singer/songwriters in Nashville. Maybe they will teach me to play the guitar. I think that will move up to the front of my desires. I will see them in a couple of weeks. Think I can learn in a week? I am very impatient with such things.

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  5. This woodworker… Sitting in Logan Airport waiting for a flight to Paris… Think, Camino… Hasn’t built a boat yet. I’ve always wanted to. Blues harp is a language I speak and I brought a “C” harp along to wail with… I can also play “Happy wanderer”.
    Prayers requested… I don’t know why I’m such a scaredy-cat around flying.

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  6. Sing really well. Sing anywhere and everywhere and with anybody. Then I wouldn’t need a musical instrument . Just soar. Music is so universal and brings such joy to everybody.

    I do sing now …. A bit….. Very badly …… Brings lightness to me and some mirth to others ….that’s good too……never know the words.

    Debbie 🎼🎤🎧

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  9. You might be interested in a documentary movie called “Lunarcy” about several people who are/were determined to go to the moon. It might be on YouTube.

    I thought your question was very interesting. But, unadmirable though it may seem, I am not longing to “learn” any particular skill. I guess I feel pretty complete now. That does not mean I am self-satisfied or uninterested in new things. I am very open and there are things I’d like to do, but I don’t feel compelled to learn new skills. It is enough of a struggle to hang on to what I have!

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    • That’s interesting. I saw “lunarcy” last winter, and it was on again a few days ago.I remember a very intense guy giving wild presentations about life in space. Not for me. When I was little my favourite place to go on my birthday was the Dow planetarium in Montreal. I’ve always been interested in astrophysics and astronomy, and have had a few telescopes over the years. I feel a profound sense of peace looking at the night sky. I find it so beautiful, and it fascinates me to know that the stars I see today are no longer there. It took this long just for their light to reach my eyes, which means, when we look into the skies, into , deep space, we are looking back at the beginning of time. (That’s been proven.by science, so before anyone protests, look it up on space.com under “Deep Space.”) I want to go there and see that beauty for myself, if I could, to smell the “burnt ” odour of space and just float in that big celestial pool.
      I get the feeling, Simply Clare, that you have come to a really good place in your
      life, and have no urge to leave. That’s wonderful! But I also think that if you
      become curious about something at some point, nothing will stop you from
      doing what you can to satisfy your curiosity. I love the way life cycles on, from
      serenity, to peace, to curiosity and discovery. This business of being human is
      such a fascinating, wonderful gift. I wish you great happiness.!

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      “burnt” scent of it, and feel the silence of the Divinely created Universe.
      I sense, Simply Clare, that you are in a good place i your life right now

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  10. Thankyou Sister, for posting this challenge. I read with interest of the grand plans, dreams and aspirations of others. How fantastic. To imagine the possibilities is good for the spirit.

    Me? I am a simple soul who would like to fufill the plan my Creator has. I would hope that it involves making a difference in the lives of others. I have an abundance of food, a speedy little car, a good job, close friends and a loving family. My home is comfortable. I travel. I have been to some incredible places and had many amazing experiences. I have opportunities.
    What more could I want? Maybe simply to live long enough to pass on wisdom, understanding, faith, love, peace and happiness to others.
    Blessings
    Anne

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