Transition Times

Saturday of Week 16 in Ordinary Time

Saint Bridget of Sweden

There is something about St. Bridget's story that confronts me today.  She married a nobleman, had eight children and lived "at court" as a lady-in-waiting to the queen.  Her story tells of how she attempted to tame the excesses of courtly life but with little success.  

How did she do that?  It had to have been more than the subtle witness of her life...right?  I wonder what she said and did to express her discomfort with her surroundings and the crazy imbalance of the royal-peasant paradigm?

Eventually, her discomfort grew so heightened that she and her husband made pilgrimage to St. James at Compostela in Spain.  And that did it.  That exercise (long and arduous no doubt) in bodily prayer was enough to re-orient the rest of their lives...which for them meant living what remained of their lives in service to the people of God.  They did this through embracing the monastic way of life---and founding a few communities as they went.

At 55 I see another transition looming.  Almost an empty nest.  Children living energizing lives far away and on their own.  What seemed so essential 20 years ago carries far less weight.  And yet, I have to ask, what has taken its place?  

I remember this quote (source unknown even after googling---but it isn't me):

If I met my 20 year old self today I'd recognize her but she wouldn't recognize me.

I want to be able to say that about my

40, 50 and 60 year old selves

I want to go through transitions

without the fear of changing

I want and I hope

St. Bridget, pray for me