My childhood was full of white daisy flowers.

They return in memory in myriad ways. When I was a teenager, I used to herd cows near the streams and grass meadows. The beautiful tiny white flowers were all along the river side, and I fell in love with them. They gave me a feeling of calm and serenity. Sometimes I lay in the field, looking at the blue sky, listening to the sound of the stream, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the sight of white flowers swaying in the sunlight. They were whispering to me:

“Let yourself dream big and rise up, be at peace and have courage to go forward”

Twenty-three years later, in Davao, Philippines, I was preparing for final vows. These were days of discernment for a new journey as an RNDM (Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions). My great retreat director Sr. Christina Cathro (an RNDM from New Zealand) who accompanied me for 30 days, once again connected my heart to daisies, and the childhood vision they had evoked. I noticed that whenever I went to the garden for prayers, I always sat on the big stone with white flowers all around. I sat on it and thought about my future journey and my childhood memories came back, I suddenly heard an inner voice:

“What is my heart really searching for? What is my passion? How does God want me to blossom and be fully alive?”

Now those little white flower-friends announce themselves again from my painting. They remind me:

“Take a challenge. Step forward and do what your heart yearns to do”