Abundances

Well, I'm back. Two weeks in France and of course after traveling home takes on new dimensions. Husband and animals are well, and everything falls into place, with deliberateness and pleasure.
I went to France with friend Marianne, and we spent a week in retreat at the ecumentical community of Taize (www.taize.fr). It was a true religious experience. Taize is known for its music, very simple and beautiful chants repeated over and over again somewhat like hindu or buddhist mantras and which induce a feeling of peace and contemplation. But what I learned was that Taize had far more aspects than that. It was founded as an ecumentical movement, and as such, is a community of brothers from numerous religious traditions living together. It is also a gathering place for youth who camp and live together, and it feels somewhat like Whole Earth Festival at times with its strong flower-child influence. People from all over Europe and North America come there, in addition to a few from parts beyond, and knowing a couple of languages is very useful (along with the ability to pick up new ones). Lastly, staying at Taize means living in close quarters (our bunk room housed six) and eating very frugal meals, served on a plastic tray with a plastic bowl and a spoon. You certainly get to experience simple living.
After a stay at Taize, I returned to my aunt's and then my mother's and then my husband's doting with a real sense of living a spoiled life. In addition to the affection comes the wealth we do enjoy. Eating with knife and fork seems a real miracle, let alone the hundreds of other creature comforts that come in higher thread-counts. So as I watch the sun rise in my wide-awake jetlagged state, I really feel like these are new days