No one can truly understand what it feels like inside our broken hearts. Our unique experiences are shaped by personality, family background and the circumstances of our loss. At the same time, grief is a universal human experience. Just as we all know love, we all know the devastation of loss. This shared journey of recovery known as grief leads us through our loss. It is our ally, actually, as we weave our way toward healing.
Last month I had the privilege of making my annual silent retreat at Mercy by the Sea. The weather was magnificent, my retreat director was excellent, and the time in retreat was more than I could have asked for. The experience caused me to reflect on my first retreats as a Sister of Mercy, which I also experienced at Mercy by the Sea more than 50 years ago.
Program participants and retreatants frequently walk the grounds here at Mercy by the Sea, as do staff members. For guests, the land and water offer opportunities for quiet reflection. For staff, walking the property can clear our heads or give us the chance to move our bodies, which have been sitting too long. It’s also a beautiful way to walk towards one’s daily goal of 10,000 steps.
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.