A beaded lifeline
A beaded lifeline
Rose Pardy, 64, can pinpoint the exact moment her world began to unravel.
It was November 1997. The now-retired sales manager was at work in Ottawa when she received news that her 23-year-old son had just committed suicide.
But it didn't end there. Eighteen months later, her 30-year-old son died in an accident. Her daughter was also battling recurrent thyroid cancer, while her husband's rare, deteriorating liver condition meant he urgently needed an organ transplant. "Each time, I meditated on the rosary," she says of how she dealt with overwhelming grief and anxiety. "I prayed in my son's ear as he was lying in the hospital. I remember meditating when my husband's operation was under way. Even though I was alone in the hallway all night, I didn't feel that I was."
Far from simply repeating prayers, says Rose, the rosary requires you to simultaneously meditate on the Mysteries -- the miracles in the lives of Jesus and Mary -- and how to project their meaning into your life.
"Anytime I do my rosary, I rid myself of anxieties. I don't need to be in complete control of my world, because I let something else take over," she says. "Afterward, I feel very calm and stable, I sleep better and I feel more invigorated."
If you're on the go and need a quick fix, try our 3-minute stress reliever for temporary relaxation.
Page 4 of 4
It was November 1997. The now-retired sales manager was at work in Ottawa when she received news that her 23-year-old son had just committed suicide.
But it didn't end there. Eighteen months later, her 30-year-old son died in an accident. Her daughter was also battling recurrent thyroid cancer, while her husband's rare, deteriorating liver condition meant he urgently needed an organ transplant. "Each time, I meditated on the rosary," she says of how she dealt with overwhelming grief and anxiety. "I prayed in my son's ear as he was lying in the hospital. I remember meditating when my husband's operation was under way. Even though I was alone in the hallway all night, I didn't feel that I was."
Far from simply repeating prayers, says Rose, the rosary requires you to simultaneously meditate on the Mysteries -- the miracles in the lives of Jesus and Mary -- and how to project their meaning into your life.
"Anytime I do my rosary, I rid myself of anxieties. I don't need to be in complete control of my world, because I let something else take over," she says. "Afterward, I feel very calm and stable, I sleep better and I feel more invigorated."
If you're on the go and need a quick fix, try our 3-minute stress reliever for temporary relaxation.
Page 4 of 4
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Richard Regal wrote:
2009-09-22 10:49 AM
Rosa Priestly wrote:
2009-09-22 10:49 AM
Tammy wrote:
2009-09-22 10:51 AM