I am sharing this here because I like what Ona Kiser has to say about her recent pilgrimage.

“The pilgrimage was remarkable. I was astonished to find myself in the company of fellow travelers who value excellence and pursue (or by grace already manifest) rigorous comportment, perfection in virtue and pure joy with equal measure. I literally have never spent hours a day of car time and travel time with a group with this kind of dynamic. It was marvelous and uplifting and my heart felt renewed.

Every day someone or another was stressed or aggravated about something at some point, and everyone else just gently snugged into the ragged space of their stress and supported them in a kind of mystical way. Had it been literal it would have been like the group silently moving into a tight circle around an injured member and by our pressing shoulders and arms lifting them just enough to carry them effortlessly along, sparing their wounded leg or foot and by our pressing presence sustaining them. So analogously, if someone became tired and irritable or impatient or hangry, no one would react antagonistically nor try to shut them down, but simply respond calmly with a brief sympathetic word or encouragement or, if it seemed necessary, a longer encouraging word or just patient and kind silence and cooperation with the needs of the agitated person. It was just remarkable.”

Ona Kiser