I came home from a weekend women's retreat yesterday to find Tara's Blog had  pictures of Sojo and stories about what she has been up to.  Oh, how I look forward to those moments...reading about her and seeing her beauty shine through.  

Tara talked about how she doesn't feeling "conceited" talking about Sojo's beauty because she isn't her biological mother.  Somehow, she thinks that gives her the freedom to speak of beauty without thinking she had anything to do with it.  I remember a little girl about the same age that I was in awe of too.  Her beauty was undeniable and something I saw everyday and continue to have seen over and over again throughout her "near" 40 years.  Beauty is in the eyes of the person who sees it..."the eye of the beholder".  I am posting 3 pictures of 3 little girls to show a bit of the beauty of this family...be they born of our blood or of our heart.  Do you see resemblance in the three?  I do.  All around the age of 2, give or take a few months maybe.  I truly believe that God places babies in our wombs and in our hearts and no matter where they come from, they become one with us and their beauty shines through in all they do.  I look into Sojo's eyes and I see Tara everyday.  I know that someday, I will look into the eyes of Sean or Matt's child and see them.  So...dear daughter...don't ever feel guilty for seeing beauty in your child.  Being a mother is what gives you the freedom to do that. 

  Could two ever be more beautiful or meant to be a part of one another?  I am so blessed to have these two beauties in my life. 

And then, there is this "oldie" with her pants too long, but look at that natural blonde hair.  Beauty is in the eyes of one who sees it.  If we look through the eyes of God...we see His infinite beauty in all people and all things.  When we look through our eyes with love, we see beauty.  That's why I look at these three and see beauty.  I see love...

Between the women's retreats that I help prepare and present in my parish and labyrinth walks that I do, my spiritual path is pretty full right now.  This morning, as I was preparing something, I thought abut Sojo and the spiritual path that she is on.  Chances are, her biological parents were Buddhist.  Most of China is.  However, we really do not know for sure.  T was raised Roman Catholic, receiving all of her Sacraments while still living at home.  D was raised Christian.  They have come together as a family and are raising Sojo with an open mind and open heart. 

I loved the way they took her to the Buddhist Temple for a blessing while in Sojo's birth area of Yunnan Province.  I loved the way while we visited them that first summer, we all gathered by their meditation pond and gave her a blessing with holy water from our parish and from the Holy Land where Ron had traveled a while back. 

I love the way Sojo has a couple of friends who hang out in the garden with her...Buddha and St. Francis.  She doesn't seem to love one more than the other.   

I think that Sojo will have a well rounded spirituality about her...loving all people no matter what their color or religion is and certainly not where they come from around the world.  With a family so diversified, how could she not grow into a well rounded and balanced young woman, filled with the spirit and love that God intended us to have.     One thing for sure, we know she will be walking her own spiritual path, always knowing that we love her.