Querencia

Overlooking the Bay of Galway in Ireland…totally at peace as the sun sets
Querencia -A place from which one’s strength is drawn-where one feels at home-the place where you feel most like your true inner self

Dear Reader:

You know how much I love learning new words and their definitions, especially beautiful words to pronounce and match memories from one’s life… and the first memory I associated with ” querencia” evolved out of the trip I took to Ireland with Anne back in 2014.

I had just come off a medical crisis in my oncology procedures and switched to a new ( still somewhat experimental) drug combination that did not include chemo.) But to my oncologist’s relief and mine… it seemed to be keeping everything at bay better than it had with earlier chemo procedures.

So when the opportunity to go to Ireland ( a lifetime dream) became available with Anne I knew intuitively it was then or never. And the trip was the best medicine I ever took! I felt so at peace in Ireland… like I was coming home. I felt exactly what querencia means.

But by now in my life… I have accumulated enough hindsights to realize that there have been many diversified moments that have provided that sense of belonging to this world… in the form of ” People, Places, and Things.” I will share some of mine…

Returning to Ireland… the Cliffs of Mohr-awe-inspiring!
The Chapel of Hope

( St. Jude’s Chapel of Hope-Trust, NC- The Chapel of Hope literally changed the direction of my life and after following the spirit found within ( Beverly Barutio) I began to follow my dream and write the on-going blog post begun fourteen years ago!

Erskine College and the lifelong friendships established there!
Edisto Island where one messenger of the universe ( dolphin) let me know in October of 2010 that ” Everything was exactly as it should be… all was right with the world and all would be right with me” … the promise of life for however long. So far… the dolphin’s message remains constant!
My Moon Garden!
My moon garden-started in 2009… my life extension to my soul – my refuge from the storms of life
My favorite garden… blooming and growing faster than I can blink!
My side (shadier) garden is added
… And of course… the main ingredient in my blog posts… Daily God Winks that enable me to tell my story, Beverly’s story… while telling God’s story!

So until tomorrow… think about the meaning behind the word” querencia” and take a minute to pause and think where you were the last time you felt completely at home in the universe!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Wherever and whenever ” Big Red” is blooming… I am at home and happy!

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”
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5 Responses to Querencia

  1. Rachel Edwards says:

    Got the blog today….yeah! Love reading about your Journey and all the God winks along the way…❤🙏❤
    ..

  2. Cynthia Ashley says:

    Mine is presently Folly Beach. Enjoying living here.

    • Becky Dingle says:

      I am so happy to hear that Cindy! That was quite a move though you have enjoyed Folly for a long time! So happy you found ” belonging place!” 😘💗

      Sent from my iPhone

  3. Lisa Register says:

    Beautiful Blog post

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