2023 was a crazy year for me! I learned with time that there is no such thing as a “bad year” or a “good year.” There are good and bad days in a single year. Sometimes, there are more bad days than good ones, but I’ve learned to let the good overcome the bad, to let it outshine the negative times and make them seem small. It is extremely difficult to do so, but when you see the bigger picture, when you see how God can take the bad and turn it into good, you will thank Him in all circumstances and your hope will renew. Here are the lessons I learned this year!
(more…)Tag: freedom
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This year is quite a strange one for everyone across the globe. Our worlds are changing drastically on so many levels: culturally, socially, politically, financially, and most importantly, healthily.
One of the traditions I’ve kept over the years is to travel to a particular place every year. My plans this year have been cancelled, but I decided to be creative: I don’t need to travel physically, but I can travel back in time. As a matter of fact, I thought, why not write about some past trips and take my readers with me?
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To the ones that made me feel like home for five days straight, that made me promise to never change who I am, that loved my sense of humour, that have golden and open hearts, that warmly welcomed us, that cook super well, that encouraged me to serve, that are bold in their faith, that were our second or third mothers to us, that have a height I look up to, that can sing, draw, and be talented like no one else, that are soft in their manners like doves, that are funnier than America’s best comedians, that share a passion for books, that are little innocent geniuses, that have the best semi-broken Arabic, that know how to read Arabic and Coptic (props to youuuuu), that are wannabe Montrealers, and that are amazing travelling companions… this article is for you.
Last week, I embarked on a short spiritual trip. I had no idea, not even the slightest clue on what to expect. No one told me what we were going to do, nor what to expect from a week at a monastery. I didn’t even know who from church was going to the trip. And you know what? Not knowing anything led to the best surprise ever.
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Here are poems that were posted on my Instagram account during the month of January and February. Enjoy!
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Exactly a year ago, I was in Cairo, capital of Egypt. A day before my departure, I went to visit Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral. Right next to it was Saint Peter & Saint Paul’s Coptic Orthodox Church, which I also visited. The members of the cathedral, as well of the church, were such humble and kind people that I remember leaving a bit teary-eyed, asking God to bless and reward them.
MARIA MAGDELEINA 