I had the great privilege of spending time with 28 women this weekend at the Serenity in Sisters Retreat. We had the chance to explore the life of contemplation as an aid to their 12 Step recovery. I admire the enthusiasm with which they approached both the meditative practices and their courage in dealing with significant events and questions in life.

For the benefit of those who participated in the retreat,, here is a link to Carol Bieleck’s poem, “Breathing Under Water.” It’s the last of the poems on this page, although here it’s entitled “House by the Sea”: http://www.rscjinternational.org/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/2600-usa–poetry-by-carol-bialock-rscj.html