Wednesday, November 3, 2010

What I'm Reading..

I am very drawn to mystics!

Leonard Cohen..
Hildegard of Bingen
Macrina Wiederkehr
Thomas Merton ....
so many more....
all on the journey of life

and Joy Cowley


Do you know Mrs Wishy-Washy or Greedy Cat?

Teachers and children around the world know Joy Cowley through Sunshine Books.

I met Joy in 1997.
My Annus Horribilis.
I had buried my eighteen year old son
and my husband was in prison.
It doesn't get much worse really.

I went on a weekend with Joy ..
'The Parables of Nature'
a down to earth mystic

"As we grow in our spiritual life" she said
"we reach a broader place.. and we realize religion is the map, life is the journey"

She told me to travel down to Blenheim in the south island
and she would meet me there and take me to Fish Bay, her home.

We talked about 'Anum Cara'
the beautiful book by John O'Donohue.

I never did go to Fish Bay but I'll never forget her kindness to me a stranger
and how she sent me tapes of Anum Cara because she thought I would love to hear
John O'Donohue's lilting Irish voice..

She has written so many books for children and adults and has travelled the world
and she still had time to bless me with her care and love.

I am thrilled with her memoir NAVIGATION.
Full of wisdom and insight.
I love the way she treats the past lightly and is never judgmental.
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9 comments:

  1. Joan, I don't know the Sunshine books or Joy Cowley, but she must be a wonderful person to have reached out to you in such dark hours and helped carry you through to better times, placed in your path, it seems, when you most needed it. Navigation. A great title for one's memoirs and a special tribute by you of her and her good works. I will have to look to read it sometime and when I do, I will think of you and your journey in life.

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  2. I'm intrigued. Gotta find out more on Ms. Cowley...

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  3. I, too, am intrigued. You seem to have come through the terrible year, stronger at the broken places.

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  4. Your "annus horribilis," a dark time, indeed. Dear lady, I'm so grateful to have met you through our sharing of stories and such, here in Bloggerville. I want to check into Ms. Cowley's writing. It sounds like it would appeal to me very much. I just read a quote by Hildegard of Bingen and loved what she had to say. Thank you for sharing this with us. Have a good, good day.

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  5. It must be painful to look back at such a heartbreaking time in your life, but how neat it is when someone takes the time to reach out and make a difference.

    I haven't heard of Ms. Cowley. I'll have to check out some of her books. She sounds an amazing person.

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  6. I am drawn to mystics, myself, and adore both Hildegarde Bingen and Leonard Cohen. I didn't know of Joy Cowley, but am eager to know her now. Someone like you, who has taken their raw, broken pain and been able to still give back a rich joy, is a gift to us all. Bless you.

    Nana Jo

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  7. Someone said - (don't remember who) that coincidences don't happen. You met this great lady in your darkest hour when you most needed it, so this was really good timing of fate.
    You are truly a great lady yourself with so many talents, it's a joy to see and read what you are doing, Joan. I'm glad that I have met you here in blog-land.
    Best Wishes
    Grethe

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  8. Joy Cowley's childrens books are great fun, but it is her books of contemporary prayers that spoke to me particularly. I believe she nurtures all sorts of people in her Fish Bay home, along with her husband.

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  9. Thank you for pointing the way to this obvious wonderful woman and writer
    gracious of you to share this private experience with us your blog friends

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