Finding Goodness on Mom's Weekend

Many years ago, when I was in my mid 20's, a woman I met taught me the value of trusting in the goodness of people. I don't know how it happened, but it did  happen. I saw differently in my journey of life. 


This trusting in the goodness of people, especially young people played itself out during a weekend at the Inn during April of this year.

Washington State University in Pullman had Mom’s weekend the 14^th of April. The particular Mom has two sons in college. Her plan was to pick up the one son in Central Washington and then for the two of them to meet the other son in Pullman. To make this a special son/Mom weekend the Dad figured that renting a convertible sports car for the event would be cool. In the meantime the youngest son in Pullman came to the conclusion that his Mom would enjoy coming to the Inn at St. Gertrude. He had read a newsletter of the minister of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries who had made a retreat at St. Gertrude and spoke so highly of his experience. This son figured that his Mom would appreciate being at the Inn at St. Gertrude rather than staying on campus for the weekend.

Their stay was filled with hiking the trails through the Monastery Wood, eating, meeting people, studying and driving their rental to the warmer river country on highways 13 and 12 which pass through Stites, Kooskia and Kamiah.  Needless to say they speeded along with their convertible top down.

When asked what they liked the best towards the end, the one thought the hide abed was the best ever and the other “grooved” on the homemade bread at our place. I mentioned to the Mom that she and her husband must have great parenting skills. She shook her head “no” and replied, “Oh, no. We have a great God!”

Visit the Inn at St. Gertrude