Dream Trip, Nightmare or Blessed Retreat


I saved up for two years, paid my credit card down to zero, and headed to France for my 75th birthday. My friend picked me up from the Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris. We headed off to the Basse Normandie region, the first leg of the journey. We planned to spend a few days visiting towns and churches in the area. The next step in the plan was to go to Paris near the end of my stay to do all the touristy things that people do when they visit France.

Accommodation mishaps, including locking myself outside my hotel room on the night of my birthday, resulted in a delay in the plan to visit towns and churches. We did get to visit the Basilica of St. Therese of Lisieux in Lisieux.

I finally found accommodation in Villedieu-les-Poeles in a lovely 3 bedroom house for less the 50 Euros a day. It was just in time, because France was put into lockdown the day after I moved into the place. Needless to say the lockdown ended my dreams of seeing Paris since everything is closed and people can only go out for necessities. In addition, the Canadian government called all Canadians outside of the country to come home. So, leaving for home two weeks early was disappointing. But it all turned out to be a blessing in disguise

The house I rented is nestled in the rolling green countryside outside the town centre. It is the perfect setting for prayer and contemplation. Richard Rohr's daily meditations and those of Tara Brach guide me. What may not have been a dream trip but could have been a nightmare turned into a blessed retreat





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