Grace Cathedral

Lush vineyards, hills lined with green grass, century old trees and walkways lined with flowers in bloom…these are a mere glimpse of nature’s beauty at our diocesan sanctuary, The Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg.

The air was warm when our group arrived at The Bishops Ranch on Tuesday morning. We all gathered at the Ranch House, a two-level house with a large living room, a long winding staircase, and a plethora of rooms. Most of us had been up earlier than usual, so we were a bit tired upon arrival.

The first order of the day was to get situated in our designated rooms and then get acquainted with each other in the enormous but comfortable living room. Our group gathered here daily for discussion, prayer, compline, movies and fun.

Our topic of discussion during this visit was Aging with Faith and Fun. We explored what we like and dislike about getting older, how we view our time (past and present) in terms of regrets and goals. A theme that came up for me was procrastination; I tend to put things off, telling myself “I have plenty of time to do this or that” and then it seems like the time slips right through my fingers.

Another theme that emerged from our lively discussion was about clutter in the physical sense, items around the home that don’t serve us anymore, and clutter in the emotional sense, grudges and hurts that we hold onto for too long.

Our second evening at the Ranch, we were blessed with rain. It started out as a heavy mist and promptly transitioned into full on down pour, the kind that will make you run for a hooded coat or an umbrella. On my way back to the Ranch House after dinner that evening, I had a moment of peace and tranquility walking in the rain. There was a chill in the air, I was getting wet with each step I took and yet my pace was slow and methodical. I could smell wood burning in a distant fireplace and the scent of wet grass – it felt like heaven.

It is in these peaceful moments that we are the most alive in the present, not looking backwards or forwards but around where we ARE now. Perhaps, this is the best way to age in faith and fun, to look around and see the beauty that surrounds us like a warm coat on a rainy evening.