I’ve been thinking about my friend, Dorothy, who passed away many years ago. Dorothy was born with the gift of sight. She lost her vision due to an eye disease. She lived on the grounds of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth motherhouse in Kentucky. She knew every inch of Nazareth, which made it easy for her to navigate.
One time when I visited in Nazareth, KY, Dorothy was eager to tell me about an upcoming trip to the Czech Republic. She was so excited. I listened to her joy and told her that I looked forward to hearing about her experience. She would be traveling with a companion. Inside, I wondered why anyone would go so far when they couldn’t see what was there. My ignorance.
When Dorothy returned, she was full to overflowing with her experience. She described in great detail the sights and sounds and smells. I was most captured by her description of the cathedral in Prague. Her portrayal of the cathedral colors, images, carvings, and stained-glass windows was so vivid, I realized I could see it, and I could feel the outlines of everything in my hands!
Dorothy partly saw through the vision of others. She was a great, inexhaustible listener open to what others had to share. Her other senses were heightened, making her aware and present in each moment. This was always true about Dorothy in every situation, but I was humbled by my previous wondering why she would travel so far for something she could not see.
Dorothy gave me this medallion. I’m sure it caught her attention because you can feel the image. It reminds me of her. It also reminds me of the importance of relationships for seeing clearly, what it means to value our interdependence, and the significance of deep listening.
For a couple of years, Restoring Connections has offered peer supervision groups for soul care providers (spiritual directors), chaplains and counselors. At present, we have 3 groups that meet at different times once a month. We meet online because we are all in different time zones. Through these groups, we each deepen our effectiveness as listeners and what it means to be truly present to the people we serve. We all have our blind spots, but our peers help us listen to our own responses and to expand our vision.
After a summer break during July, these groups have decided we will continue to meet. We are open to other soul care providers joining us. Feel free to contact me for further information. The dates and times of the groups will be available in late July.