Reflections from a hospital window

For some reason, these woods surrounding the hospital, and the hospital
itself, have a monastic quality. Even the bathrooms smell like
Gethsemani.

The hospital has many little rooms where one can get sidetracked into
meditation and silence. We sat in the ICU waiting room today and did
some Christmas cards. I even took a nap. Like the old monk said, "a good
retreat consists of eating a lot, praying a lot, and sleeping a lot.?
That sure fits here.

And we enjoyed the chapel service led by Rev. Kathy Schell, the chaplain
who has been here for 21 years. The chapel was nice. It was a good place
to pray. Candles were quitely flickering in the background, the songs
were sung with real meaning behind them, and the eucharist was shared
with His presence near.

The hallways seem endless and one can get lost, like the night at
Gethsemani when I locked myself out of the room and ran around lost in
the November cold in my shorts, barelegged and sockless, until I found
the sign that told me how to find Father Rene who could get me back in
my room.

And the cold, 6 degrees outside with the ground covered in snow, adds a
flame of spirituality to the moment.

I write this at 1:30 am. Sleepless because I drank coffee tonight for
the first time in years and it will probably keep me awake most of the
night. When will I ever learn?

Bro. Dan Sleepless in Canton, Michigan