Aunt Mo in Action: Photo Report from a month in Minnesota and Beyond

Friends,

What follows are images from this past month of hosting the beloved Maureen "Auntie Mo" Dabula of East London, South Africa. I've written, emailed, blogged ad naseum. Let's have the photos speak for themselves, eh? (Well, with a couple captions as guiding narration...?!)

Love and blessings,
Melissa

On retreat at Brian Mogren's :
Giggling with former student "Foogie" (or as Mo liked to refer to him: 'Goofy')


And yet another "retreat space": the CSJ sisters' Mary and Patrice's place in North Minneapolis

Mo checking out their gardens...


Mass early church style: in the living room / sacred space of the Visitation Monastery, Fremont Avenue. (You can see the original "Windsock Visititation" depicting Mary and Elizabeth by Brother Mickey (actually seated below the painting here, next to Sr. Katherine.)

A divine appointment: Maureen and Michelle Perkins meeting to discuss HIV/ AIDS work in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Thanks for intro Sr. Katherine!)
The beautiful and beaming spirit of Michelle....

Another meal: Linda Willette welcomes us to Lasagna at the Stone Arch Lofts in Downtown Minneapolis

On tour with Jan Willette, overlooking the Stone Arch Bridge and Lock and Dams along the Mississippi

A couple doors down, Linda accompanies Mo to the infamous Guthrie Theater..

Linda and Mo from the Guthrie Bridge


Getting into Boston!


2222 Massachusett's Avenue: Our posh quarters in Cambridge - courtesy of Zac Willette!

A warm reception in Boston by our beloved Lisa McDonagh

Gloucester Mariners: Melissa and Mo

On tour up the coast: Melissa looking out at the Atlantic
Margaret Post Party Conversation: A View from Above
Clinking in prayer and toasts

A Margaret Post Meal fit for Kings and Queens....ABUNDANCE and BEAUTY is at work here with the Holy Spirit. The table of diners includes aspiring theologians, social policy folks specializing in immigration, and blessed and spirited educators, all citizens of the larger globe.

Two beloved Connectors, hosts with Large spirits and Love:
Margaret Post and Zac Willette

Monday in Cambridge: Meeting up with the beautiful Amy Baione,
(friend and researcher at Harvard Project Zero.)

And we are treated to another meal of fine organic style in the Charles Hotel's by Ms. Amy.

Going to the University of Minnesota: Entering Nicholson Hall

The Writing Project that brought us together!

A warm reception by MWP Co-Director, Kirsten Jamsen

Sharing from her work in the Eastern Cape, Mo presents on literacy and HIV/AIDS Outreach and Activisim projects through her church.

More on Mo's work within the church - and the intersection with Writing Project philosophy.


What's a trip to Minnesota without meeting Melissa's infamous fire-fighting friend, Marianna?
(who loved to refer to Mo as "the South American Nun.")

Post-gardening, pre-mass and preaching...


Meeting St. Philip's beloved Pastoral Associate, Cindy Boggs


Saturday's entrance with Fr. Pat Griffin
From the pulpit: Aunt Mo breaks open scripture with her South African spirit and spunk!

Post - Saturday Mass: Attending "Peace Across the Northside"

Meeting up with the Beloved City Councilman, Don Samuels.

Our dear Sisters' Patrice and Mary greeting Mo in the street.

Holding hands from Broadway to Lowry: North Minneapolis standing for PEACE!

The kind of bumper stickers we see along this route.

Melissa and Jimmie at Peace Across the North side:
(photo courtesy of Michael Benham)

A second preaching opportunity:
Fr. Pat and Mo process in on Sunday at St. Philip's.
Blessing by Fr. Pat

Trevon shows Mo the drawing he sketched of her during mass. (Jimmie's brother, Trevon)
Mo having lunch and laughs with Choir Members: Betty Lou, Judy and Karen

A quick shot, post-barbecue at the Benham's

Onto Nebraska and the Cabin! Note the state's motto:
The GOOD LIFE! eh?

So perhaps "cabin" isn't quite the word for this place?

Beth's ACTUAL 60th Birthday: Mo and Melissa prepare a meal for her mother and uncle, Fr. Dave, and Dad, Steve.

Some after-meal conversation...

The sunset from the cabin deck...Overlooking Lewis and Clark Reservoir.


Visiting Melissa's childhood city: Norfolk, Nebraska

Retreating to the deck to read, before Beth's Birthday Party Shenanigans..

In the Club house:
Dad, Uncle Joe, Mom, Mo, Grandpa Liewer

El Dorado party room picture....

After party in the hot tub: Auntie Mo and Mom!

Mo says, "Goodbye!"

"The One Who Left to Get Married..."

Hey Loves!

I figured reading this poem with some of my beautiful former students in mind, might be a loving way for me to hear your prayers, good wishes for me in this next part of my own life....

(I mean, how long has Ms. Borgmann been saying she's leaving to get married?!)

Sending you all kisses on your cheeks!

Ms. B

P.S. I suppose a non-selfish or non-self-centered way of reading this, might be to invite your beautiful spirits to recall a former teacher, (elementary school) and think fondly on the details of an "instructional" moment....LOVE!

Poem: "Miss Shelley, Miss Hattersley, Miss Guilford . . ." by Rosie King, from Sweetwater, Saltwater. © Hummingbird Press, 2007. Reprinted with permission. (buy now)

Miss Shelley, Miss Hattersley, Miss Guilford . . .

When I can't remember the name of my third grade teacher,
the only one through ninth grade
that won't spring to mind, I sit
wondering at the mystery of her.
Like a fan blowing cool air in summer, her face
bends down to me, strands of her hair—
it must have been long—or the rayony
swish of her skirt lightly brushing my arm
as my pen writes the letters very precisely, rounding them
in the new cursive, her voice a glissando
tinseled with laughter, her eyes crinkling—
the one who left to get married!—
up there behind her glasses,
the glow of her.

Happy Sobriety, Raymond Carver!

I don't know why, but this really cracks me up:

It was on this day in 1977 that the short-story writer Raymond Carver (books by this author) quit drinking. He had just started to get some recognition for his writing when he began drinking more and more heavily. Finally, his doctor told him he had only six months to live, unless he quit drinking. So that's what he did, on this day in 1977. He later said, "If you want the truth, I'm prouder of that, that I quit drinking, than I am of anything in my life." He died of lung cancer 11 years after he quit drinking, but he once described those last years of his life as, "Gravy. Pure gravy."

The anniversary of Raymond Carver's SOBRIETY?

Dang!

We all have moments, I'm certain, that we can commemorate. The choice to quit killing himself with liquor is a biggie. I whole-heartedly honor Carver, even in the midst of the way this noting sort of tickles something inside me...

"What is that smirking that is happening within?" I wonder.

Perhaps it touches upon my own questions:
What are my anniversaries? What small choices have turned large and the consequences, lingering, transformative? What decision or discernment created a shift in my own ability to be present on the planet and to my own gifts, as writer, artist, human being?

Hmmm.......

Perhaps I need to create my own anniversary: The date that I left teaching and arts administration work to live fully in prayer and love and honor of my own being?

Too selfish?

(What is more selfish? Killing yourself, or not killing yourself?)

My anniversary: February 23, 2007. My last residency as a teacher/ teaching artist. Patrick Henry High School. Emily Lilja's CFA English students. The next day I got a job with Anna Tsantir working for "Two Betty's and a Broom."

Challenge to you: Reflect and name your own potent moments around life and choosing the ability to be fully present and honor yourself.

LOVE!! GIGGLES, NO JUDGEMENTS!

Melissa

Fridays in June: Prayer, Fasting, Quiet time

Melissa and Mo at the Ship and fishing docks in Gloucester, Massachusetts

Greetings Beloved Friends and Ministers of Hospitality to Aunt Mo!

I'd like to invite any of you who are able to join me and Auntie Mo in prayer during Fridays in June.

Even though Ms. Dabs has returned to her home in South Africa, we are still in communication and interested in continuing our prayer and quiet time, listening to God within and all around.

The following are today's scriptures, (sent by Mo last night):

Joel 1 v 14, 2 Chronicles 20 v3, Acts 14 v23, Acts 13 v2-3, Matthew 6 V16-18 and Jonah 12 v 16.


There are special intentions that Mo has asked for me to hold during this time. I'm not exactly clear on how to express these to your beautiful selves, so I'll just trust putting these as general intentions. (Go ahead and add your own!)

Family
Partnership
Peace
Balance
Leadership in the church
Economic stability
Health

Blessings,
Melissa
In St. Paul, MN,
on behalf of Auntie Mo,
East London, South Africa