Pat Taub
Granddaughter, Jane
Last weekend I flew to Chicago to attend my granddaughter, Jane’s high school reunion in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago. My youngest son flew in from LA to join us. We hadn’t all been together since Covid descended on the country. The graduation ceremony was held in the school’s football field with family and friends packed together in the bleachers. Considering all the recent shootings, I couldn’t help but think of the possibility of one happening in this crowd.
Jane in her graduation gown with the mortrar board she created, based on Japanese cartoon figures
Mass Shootings
Will America ever address our increasing gun violence? Will the gun lobby continue to rule us, influencing Congress to vote for even more lax standards? Friends in other countries are stunned at America’s failure to address gun violence, particularly as the shootings increase. A recent report in the Washington Post noted that there have been 231 mass shootings in the US so far this year. After the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, where 19 fourth graders and two teachers were killed, my heart goes out to all the parents who worry about their children being in harm’s way when they go to school. It’s time for concerned students, parents and the rest of us to hit the streets in mass protests!
A Labyrinth in My Neighborhood
Lucky me, a block from my downtown Portland home is an Episcopal Church that just installed a labyrinth in their front lawn, meaning I can visit it often. Labyrinth walking is an ancient practice used by many different faiths for spiritual centering, contemplation, and prayer. Entering the serpentine path of a labyrinth, you walk slowly while quieting your mind and focusing on a spiritual question or prayer. Yesterday when I visited the labyrinth, I met its designer, Jennifer Bear, who lives in France, but made a trip to Portland to install the labyrinth at the church her mother attends. It was truly a labor of love for Jennifer.
The labyrinth at St. Luke’s Church in Portland, Maine.The designer, Jennifer Bear, stands in the center.
An Inspiring Read
Last week I read the nonfiction book, “Wild Mercy,” by Mirabai Starr. This book answers the call for the Sacred Feminine to play a larger role in our society. Starr traces the history of female mystics, writing about early historical figures like Hildegard Von Bingen, Hindu goddess, and Sufi and contemporary mystics, while describing her own spiritual evolution. I found it very inspiring and highly recommend it for any woman wanting to learn more about women mystics and to expand her own feminine spiritual practices.
