Hi! My name is Marian. I am a pray-er, artist, dancer, singer, writer, lover of family, friends, food, fitness, fashion, vast skies, deep waters, the color purple, anything vintage, and blush roses.
I am humbled and honored to be welcomed into the Heart’s Home Family as I embark upon my 14-month mission in Brooklyn, NY, this coming October. It is a very unexpected return to the city skyline of NYC, where, after receiving my B.A at DeSales University, I lived for 2.5 years, dancing professionally and earning my massage therapy license. Upon moving back to my hometown of beautiful Lancaster, PA, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, exclaiming, “I will never have to live in that crazy city again!” My, how life is full of surprises!
For the past 2.5 years, I have thoroughly enjoyed the delights of hometown living. Taking root as an adult in my beloved home parish of St. Joseph’s provided sure footing and a safe harbor. My work opportunities blossomed as I taught ballet and modern dance in my old studios and brought the healing arts of movement and massage therapy to my surrounding community. What a joy! And yet… there grew within me a search for more.
The incessant beeps and clicks of technological gadgets, running from here to there, and patching together enough jobs to sustain myself materially…these took all of my energy until I found myself spiraling around, sowing nonsense, and lacking peace, forgetting what it means to simply be. I was burnt out.
It took a trip to the Far East to bring me home to my heart again. Last June I went to visit my friend Renee, who was on mission with Heart’s Home in Tamil Nadu, India. After working within her mission for 2 weeks, we traveled together to Calcutta, where we volunteered with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. My heart was awakened and revivified by the pure-hearted joy amidst poverty, the time to really look into another’s eyes, and the space for grace to breathe into my being afresh. Learning anew how to BeLoved, to BeLove.
Entering back into my life State-side, I began to feel as though my heart were bursting at the seams. Daily Mass and an ever deepening prayer life continued to billow up within me a thirst to be present and available to the beautiful richness and common humanity of the inmates on King Street, my homeless friends on Queen Street, the addicts and broken-hearted, my expanding circle of loved ones in my neighborhood! However my life did not afford me this luxury – quickly becoming necessity – of my heart, of my call.
Heart’s Home whispered within me.
A tiny violet flower in God’s strong, gentle Hands, I place all of my trust in His Heart as He brings me home to mine.
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