Take Nothing for the Journey

Take nothing for the journey

he said

and I realized

all I was carrying.

And slowly I began to wander

a journey that had already begun

And like a bird I flew free

no arms to hold what could hold me back

Go slow

Be open

See the sights

and see to the fact

that you only pick up what you need

And so I went

the journey deep

the darkness dark

the steepness steep

Seeing what

was there to see

in time

with grace

deep inside of me.

Like the crop circles of my soul

conveying a message

I am still figuring out

how to read.

You pinned me down

by the heart

so I could see the beautiful

markings on my wings

stopped still from the frantic beat

Take nothing for the journey

they said

Take nothing but who you are.

Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ 

Sr. Colleen currently serves as a campus minister at Chestnut Hill College. She is the author of the blog Wandering in Wonder,  columnist for the Global Sisters Report, and has been published in various periodicals including America, Commonweal and Give Us This Day. She made first vows as a Sister of St. Joseph in Philadelphia in August 2014.