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Hello! My name is Kathleen Gibson. Ferne has asked me to say a few words about my experience of Trinity’s Week of Guided Prayer or, as it’s come to be called, A Retreat in the Midst of Daily Life. A number of years ago, when I was still working, Ferne made the suggestion that taking part in the Week of Guided Prayer might be something I would enjoy. I had my doubts. I wasn’t at all sure I’d be able to fit one more thing into my already over-crowded schedule. It seemed to me that I spent most of my life running, running from one place to another – from bed to the shower to breakfast to the streetcar to Knox College Library, where I was employed, to meeting after meeting after meeting, back to the streetcar to home to the kitchen stove to the washer and dryer to the inevitable phone conversation with whichever family member needed to sound off, back to bed only to drift into that disturbed and guilt-ridden sleep that comes when you’re only too aware of what you didn’t get done that day. It seemed to me that I spent my life doing-doing-doing for others, whether they were Knox faculty or students or mere patrons or my own family. Really, how could I do anything more? Quite frankly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to fit anything else into my already over-extended life. But, as I’m sure you too have discovered, Ferne can be persuasive – and she had decided that I needed the Week of Guided Prayer. So, I enrolled. Of course, she was right. That week gave me what I needed at the time. It provided me with readings that focussed my mind on something outside the round of daily activities in which I was engaged. It was as though the carousel stopped for a few moments, as though its music was silenced, however briefly, and I was able to consider a different perspective, a perspective that shone new light on the life I was leading. It asked me to take the time to jot down my responses to the readings in my journal. I was surprised to discover that I had any responses. And that led me to realize that I was always having responses to what I was doing in my daily life. In fact, I was awash in them. I’d just been unaware of them, much less considered what they meant, much less kept them from colouring my dealings with other people. And it matched me up with another person with whom I could discuss my wonderings and learn from their insights. In other words, I got in touch with myself again and, in the process, discovered a very important, obvious, yet often forgotten truth – you can’t be in touch with God if you aren’t in touch with yourself. If you don’t know what your deepest yearnings are, you can’t talk to God out of your deepest self. When that happens your prayers become rote or even stop altogether and you are left to float on the Sea of Just-Getting-By. As I said, Ferne was right. I don’t think I’ve ever thanked her but I’d like to now. I believe the experience of the Week of Guided Prayer, as well as her friendship, have contributed to me getting to where I am now – Retired. Thank you, Ferne. This year, for the first time, I’ll have no difficulty fitting the Week of Guided Prayer into my schedule. In fact, I’m hoping that it will help me deal with the guilt I feel that I’m no longer running to work, or doing doing doing for others. It seems so self-indulgent to be enjoying my new-found leisure so much. And I hope to see you taking part next week in Trinity’s Retreat in the Midst of Daily Life.”
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Spiritual Support 
