One week in Scituate

 

Whenever I have a vacation, I prefer climbing mountains and walking by the seashore together with my sisters. Being closer to mountains and the sea is always inspiring, healing, refreshing and relaxing. Living abroad, this year was no exception thanks to sisters with goodwill and generosity.

Appreciating hard-working sisters, Reverend Monsignor Frederick R. Condon (1920-97) donated the Condon family summer house in Scituate to the Daughters of St. Paul in the United States in 1983. Monsignor Condon wanted this house to be “a place of peace and joyful rest” for the religious sisters.

For a week in June after making my annual retreat (spiritual exercises), I stayed at that house in Scituate, a small coastal town with a harbor situated halfway between Boston and Plymouth, MA.

“Scituate” is derived from the Indian word “Satuit” which means cold brook or small stream flowing into the harbor. The early settlers who arrived at this harbor in the 1630s spelled it as Sityate, Cituate or Seteat in the beginning. Then, it was pronounced as “sit-chew-it” in the 1640s.

Thanks to the early pilgrims who settled in this coastal area, I enjoyed walking by the seashore in Minot Beach, North Scituate Beach, Egypt Beach, Sand Hills Beach, Museum Beach, Peggotty Beach and Humarock Beach.

Thanks to the salty seawater, all the scratches and pains that I had while gardening during the retreat were healed.

Every morning, I got up very early to see the sunrise, but I couldn’t see a clear sunrise because of the thick clouds. What a joy it was to see the clearest sunrise on the last day of my vacation.

Each day, I walked on and on along the seashore and the trails in the park for about six hours. Walking by the seashore on bare feet let me be united with the sand, wet earth, the waves and the rocks.

As I took a walk here and there with much freedom and appreciation, I felt that I truly came from the Earth. I feel most comfortable, peaceful and blissful when I am in nature. As I walk simply and lightly without thinking, I can remain in the present moment.

Constantly moving back and forth, the waves follow the tunes of the wind and dance with humming rocks, shining pebbles and sands in the seashores. “Who stirs up the sea” so that its waves dance to and from constantly? He is “the Lord of hosts” (Jeremiah 31:35).

“Let the earth bless the Lord… Mountains and hills, bless the Lord… Everything growing on earth, bless the Lord… You Springs, bless the Lord… Seas and rivers, bless the Lord… You sea monsters and all water creatures, bless the Lord…” (Daniel 3:74-79).

One thing very interesting about the seashore spread throughout the coastal Scituate is that it is surrounded by private houses except the entrance to the beach. Walking along the seashore, I couldn’t find any stores nearby.

Just living by the sea and contemplating the constant waves and the peaceful horizon, our neighbors become simple, gentle and mild. Those who appreciate and enjoy the marvelous beauty of the sea become warm-hearted, friendly, kind and calm. They are neither in a hurry nor assertive. They flow freely and spontaneously following the high and low tides of life.

The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (Figlie di San Paolo), living the Good News and proclaiming it with various means of social communication.