Stellar day but exhaustion has crept in and I can’t keep my eyes open. I’d like to be punctual with the blog but I’ve learned “I’m a work in progress” so I’m going to simply divide up the ‘moments of grace’ into separate blogs through the rest of the week and next because THAT much grace was given today and I’m in a bit of glorious shock.
Besides the tears that cleansed my spirit this morning in Mass, especially through the Psalm “Shepherd Me Oh God Beyond My Wants, Beyond My Fears From Death Into Life”, the day began with a gift – meeting Immaculee Illibagiza, author of Left to Tell.
Six years ago I read her novel, Left to Tell and felt a connection with both her spirit and her strength to survive. I closed the book and said to myself (and to God) “I will meet this woman one day.” As you read on yesterday’s blog I had a chance and chickened out. Today my chance came and this time I took in a deep breath and did as my spiritual advisor counseled “Be in the moment.” So I stood in front of Immaculee and thought “I am in this moment. I have my chance to talk to Immaculee.”
I realize that some of you might not know why I would be so enamored with Immaculee. She is a survivor of the Rwanda genocide. Her entire family was brutally, savagely murdered before her eyes and she went into hiding. She faced evil in its rawest form. She is amazing.
I offered her a copy of my book and explained why she was an influence in the boldness and courage I needed to write it. She got goose bumps! “I’m going to read this on my flight home,” she said. I don’t know if she will or if I’ll ever have another opportunity to talk or even work together but I know I was given grace in the moment. Knowing I knew I was going to meet her and then it actually happened was a gift in and of itself.
The day would have been complete from that point forward but the graces kept coming….my body is exhausted but my mind can’t stop trying to go over every meeting, interview, opportunity…and to see my friend, Tiffany’s non-profit A.S.K. kick off to a great start was a tremendous blessing.
Yes, today was a better day. Almost puts too high of a standard for tomorrow!
Blessings
Shannon