It’s a quiet Tuesday evening here at the monastery as the sky slips slowly into a garment of night. We have finished dinner, prayed Compline, and most Sisters have retired to their rooms or living areas.
I’ve been out back, turning off the lights after a departing retreat group and then taking a stroll around the back yard. Sr. Therese was out sweeping the back drive. The ducks were drifting aimlessly in the placid waters of the pond. Kitty B clamored for a treat and some affection when she saw me, and I indulged her on both counts.
When I came back inside, Sr. Brigid was preparing the dining room for breakfast. Sisters Mary and Mary Adrian were finishing up supper dishes. Sr. Kathleen was in the kitchen with an apron on, surely a sign that something tasty is in the offing.
It’s quiet. It’s calm. It’s been a good day, full of quiet grace and the abiding presence of God. And now it’s a quiet evening. Time to go upstairs to my room, read for a bit, and then gratefully receive the wondrous gift of sleep.