I am reviewing my notebook written on the Ignatian retreat I made in 2007. My spiritual director gave me an article by Dennis Hamm entitled  Rummaging for God. In it Hamm gives five steps to use for this filtering process. (1) Pray for graced understanding. (2) Review the day with thanksgiving. (3) Review your feelings, any and all. "These are the liveliest index of what is happening." (4) Choose one feeling and focus on it. Then pray and notice your prayer. (5) Look at the next 24 hour period. Notice your feelings and pray about them.

So it is light, thanksgiving, feelings, focus, and future. Do you notice that positive and negative feelings are welcomed? Do not forget to bring the feelings that you are uncomfortable with to light.

This morning I saw a photograph of John Edwards' two year old daughter. Gazing at that child in her mother's arms, I remembered holding my daughter in my arms 28 years ago and felt a beautiful energy.

In so many ways my relationship with my daughter was stressed, but feeling vibrant energy in my memory suggests that something good was never touched and remains today.