Being Guided by Spirit

Whenever I muse about Quakers and what it means to me to be a Quaker, I remember my Quaker aunt and uncle, Howard and Esther. Howard was a scientist, and the whole world was his laboratory. My aunt, on the other hand, was a humanist who tried to take care of the whole world. I was the lucky niece who benefitted from her light. She loved me, respected me, challenged and educated me, and eldered me in her Quakerly way. In me she found a child who was born a Quaker but who had no Quaker community.

My father, after enduring Philadelphia Quakerism his whole life, escaped to the West to live free. My mother, daughter of a Baptist minister, yearned for the same. Churches and religion played a part during my youth. Sort of. But as the ’60’s began, my generation quickly rejected the old ways and began a search for “true meaning.” Luckily, it was during this period that I spent the most time with my Quaker aunt. In her own way, she helped me find a path towards what has been a rewarding and productive life. She helped me listen to Spirit.

In life, we are constantly faced with choices. As a college graduate in 1965, I had the monumental task of deciding what I wanted to do with my life. It became a time for reflection, of examining my values and my possibilities for work in the world. It was a time when young people began searching for ways to benefit others in underdeveloped countries. My first destination was Quito, Ecuador. I immersed myself in a whole new world. I found people who cared for me as I explored their new ways, their language, and their culture. I found people whom I valued and loved back.

The decision to work and travel in South America also led me to my future husband, his family, and his culture. Together we participated in a Catholic church, both in Latin America and in the United States, that was working to be free of its past and had begun by by attending to people’s spiritual and physical needs. I was led to my lifelong profession of facilitating the language learning of children and adults, because, when we learn each other’s language, we learn to understand and appreciate each other. I have made many choices during my life led by Spirit: led by Spirit, I believe, because I have lived a rich and meaningful life.

At that time I lived in El Paso, Texas. Yet I yearned to be part of a Quaker community. I had heard rumors of someone trying to start a group in my city, but I don’t think it ever happened. Besides, I needed an established group. I had no idea how to live as a Quaker without that guidance.

As it turned out, my son and his family put down roots in San Diego, as did my cousin Larry, a Quaker. To be near my grandchildren, we made the move to California. Once there, it didn’t take long for me to find La Jolla Monthly Meeting and to become a member. I am still learning, but I am where I need to be. I have finally found my community.