Kathy and I exchanged vows 38 years ago today. Yesterday, as we drove to Fargo ND, we talked a little about the journey. There are no guarantees in life, but, when you end up with the right person–your soul mate–it seems there is destiny involved. I vividly remember as Kathy and her Dad began walking up the aisle, I stood, and realized I was shaking from head to foot. When Bill gave Kathy’s hand to me, the shaking stopped and it felt right, as it has for all those years.
The priest who performed the ceremony told us we could choose the readings. I asked for the Prayer of St. Francis. At first, he said we could not, but later changed his mind. We have a plaque with it hanging in our bedroom. I printed a copy in Spokane and put it on the wall in my room. It has remained a constant reminder in my life that I make a difference as Kathy has in my life.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Beautiful reminder Ivon..and happy anniversary..
Thank you Mimi.
Happy Anniversary, Ivon! I have always loved the Prayer of St. Francis.
Russs
It is one of those great prayers that seems to transcend culture. Thank you Russ.
Happy Anniversary. Great choice of readings.
Debra
Thank you Debra.
This is lovely! Happy Anniversary! I know the Prayer because we sing it as a hymn at church, and I often sing it to myself when I’m stuck in traffic. Amazing how it helps! 🙂
Paige
It is a wonderful prayer and always helps me relax. I can see why it would help when stuck in traffic. Thank you Paige.
Happy Anniversary 🙂
Thank you.
Happy Anniversary and many more.
Thank you.
That is such a touching story! I love it, it’s so sweet and an inspiration to all. ❤
Thank you Jackie.
Happy Anniversary. May you have many more in health, happiness, and joy. And this prayer is such a beautiful reminder.
Thank you for the kind thoughts.
Happy anniversary, Ivon; a treasure indeed.
My brother and his wife are celebrating their 50th this week. You are so right: When you find the right one, it lasts forever..
It does Carolyn. I watch people who have been together for years and think how well they fit each other.
Congrats to you both!
Thank you.
What a wonderful prayer to start your marriage off with and for keeping you steady all through. I love it! Happy anniversary to you both and may the Lord bless you with many, many, happy years to come. 🙂
Thank you on many levels Elizabeth.
Simply beautiful!
Thank you.
Happy Anniversary! I say this prayer every day and wear a Moebius bracelet engraved with same.
It is a prayer that transcends culture, language, and time. Thank you.
Congratulations on your 38th and here’s to many more. 🙂 St. Francis’s prayer is a gem indeed.
Thank you Imelda.
That is a beautiful prayer by St Francis of Assisi-congradulations on 38 happy years! Brenda
Thank you Brenda.
Congratulations to you for finding the right partner early on. I am recently divorced – not easy in my late sixties.
I am not Catholic nor am I even religious, but I do love the prayer. Thanks.
You are welcome and thank you.
So simple , yet elegant in just the perfect words from Francis’ heart to God’s ears!
That is a wonderful way of putting it. Thank you.
I absolutely love this post. I feel a sense of destiny with my spouse,too, so I can relate 🙂 And thanks for following me on Cold.
You are welcome and thank you Victoria.
We often sing those words as a hymn – wonderful.
Sorry about the belated wishes- it’s catch up time for me these days..nevertheless wish you many more such years of togetherness and love.
Thank you for the kind words Swati.