Dear Pilgrims,

I find myself reflecting on new beginnings lately. Here in New England, as in many other parts of the country, we experienced a long, cold winter and so it has been with great pleasure and delight to watch the spring unfold right outside my window. Each morning there is a favorite place in our home where I spend a wee bit of quiet time meditating, reflecting, and writing in my gratitude journal. So when I first noticed green leaves beginning to appear on the lilac tree earlier in the spring, I made an intention to just notice it each day. It was so inspiring – this new beginning! Each morning there was a little more green emerging, and when the lilacs started to bud I was quietly ecstatic. Now, the tree is heavy with the lilacs blossoming. It is so lovely to look at, my heart fills with gratitude and wonder at this new thing. To make the journey from bare branches to this is simply amazing.

And so it goes for us here at Pilgrim’s Landing too, another beginning. My mind wanders back to the lilac tree, and the metaphor is not lost on me – to make the journey from then till now- simply amazing. A year ago, Pilgrim’s Landing was slowly and organically beginning to take shape. Each day was, and is, a new adventure for us; filled with hope and possibility.

It is said that “Every blade of grass has an Angel that bends over it and whispers ‘grow, grow’…” so we are growing too – into who and what Pilgrim’s Landing is called to be (though we may still be in the barely-there-green-leaves stage). It’s a bit of a mystery some days, but we continue to hold our vision out in front of us, get curious, follow our hearts, open our minds, and when we look each other in the eye, there is a resounding YES! Yes to yoga classes upstairs in the Pilgrim’s Loft, yes to new artists and books, yes to a Summer Salon Series, yes to weekly Chatham Labyrinth Walks, yes to music and joy filling our shop, and the biggest yes of all – yes to honoring and learning about our unique-and-alike spirit-filled journeys.

So after closing up shop for the winter; we are excited to open up our doors and welcome you in. Lots going on this upcoming season; so please check out the website often, or better yet stop by the shop, we would love to see you. You inspire us and bless us with your presence!

I leave you with a blessing for us all, from our soul friend, and angel, John O’Donohue. Each breath we take is a place to begin, again.

Pace et bene, peace and all good, Dawn.

For A New Beginning
– John O’ Donohue

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.