6/6/09

It is a Resort of Peace

Hi guys it's Dan, sorry it has taken so long to update this blog, there is much to see and do, unfortunately blogging is not one of them. I would like to tell you guys about where we are staying for this week, it is called Corrymeela and it's situated outside the small town of Ballycastle in Northern Ireland. Corrymeela stands atop a hill facing east overlooking the Irish sea with mainland Scotland in the distance just 17 miles away. As I look around I see a truly breathtaking vista in every direction- all hours of the day. To give you a brief history of Corrymeela this site was founded in 1969 by a group of peace activists who pooled their money together to create a sancturary people could journey to and learn about the methods of peacemaking.

As I walked around this place I quickly realized that the original notion of being a sanctuary has not been lost in the slightest. In every direction I look the vistas put troubled minds at ease, there are places of solitude that encourage inward thinking that have offered new perspectives about my own life. Sayings of compassion and love adorn the walls and the all volunteer staff are always more then happy to answer any questions and accommodate any needs one might have. For me, I was taken aback and emotionally awe struck the moment I walked into Corrymeela with an unwavering question coming to my mind being, "how am I so privileged to be able to walk and spend my time in a place like this? What kind of impact have I made to deserve the respect of a place such as this?" Corrymeela over the years has been the host to numerous peace talks about conflict zones all over the world, and has hosted dignitaries and peacemakers alike such as Mother Theresa, the Dalai Llama, and many leaders who negotiated the good Friday peace agreement here in Northern Ireland. But the most important people to visit Corrymeela are the everyday citizens who can reflect, learn, and if need be mourn their own troubles. This is truly a privileged for me to be here, and i know coming from all of us here that we are so thankful to experience Corrymeela.

P.S. There are 'wee' bunnies everywhere here. I'm watching about six of em play tag right now.

1 comment:

  1. This sounds like such a powerful experience. I can't wait to hear from everyone! Who posted this entry by the way?

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