If you read my birthday post, you know that I was ready and willing to receive inspiration about “what’s next” in my life. I received no “birthday” dreams to guide me, no “ah-ha” moments in meditation. Floating around in a void of “not knowing” takes letting go and it doesn’t feel good at all! But I have given myself the uncomfortable gift of being clueless.

This morning at 5 AM my epiphany arrived, so simple and obvious I had tears in my eyes.  I realized that I am going to volunteer with women veterans at a homeless shelter scheduled to open just a few miles from my home by the end of the year.

This didn’t arrive without foreshadowing.  Several years ago, when I took a leadership training program, I felt called to work with homeless (in shelter) battered women.  I was in the midst of planning a move, so I found a shelter in a city near my new home and there my plans ended.  It didn’t go onto a back burner, it went into the deep freeze.

Fast forward a couple years… I have been complaining to my friends about Martha Stewart and her 35,000 (yes, thousand) square foot “cottage” on an island off the coast of Maine.  I was horrified to think that she uses this just for herself and her guests.  I exclaimed to the universe that if I had the good fortune to have that house, I would turn it into a shelter or halfway house for women.  A few days passed.  Our local weekly paper arrived over the weekend and headlines announced a shelter, Guardian House, which will be home to 11 homeless female veterans for 12 to 24 months while they get the support and training they need to transition back to independent lives. Sunday night 60 Minutes did a report on homeless veterans.  Okay, so hit me over the head! I still didn’t get it until I heard a whisper as soft as the fading darkness this morning: “Cate, you can help these women.” I want to help.  I won’t be writing a check, I will give the gift of my time and talent to support these women in any way I can.  Stay tuned. I’ll keep you posted!