Years ago I read about the “butterfly effect,” the theory that the flap of a butterfly wing in Tokyo may affect a tornado in Texas. As I thought about it, I understood that small events in one place can have a much greater effect somewhere else, and small events now may impact events at a later time. Somehow this reverberates in my head lately as the environment continues to be under siege in our country.
After 30 years of facilitating programs at Mercy by the Sea, Mauryeen O’Brien, O.P., has made her last offering this spring. Over those many years, through her bereavement programs, Sister Mauryeen tended graciously and compassionately to the hearts and spirits of some the most vulnerable seekers crossing our threshold.
In the crisp morning chill of late autumn, I walked along the beach at Mercy by the Sea, feeling as grey as the sky. I was going through a very painful transition in life ̶ one of those that, if seen through, makes you more aware of all that is good about you, and if not… well, not. It was early enough in the process that I could not see any outcome, good or bad. I felt lost.