So. Our bid was accepted on the house we are calling the Pink Lady. This was a very fast real estate rollercoaster. Ten days after putting our country home on the market, and not knowing exactly what we were looking for in the city, though we had some stringent requirements, we have sold our house and bought another one.

Our buyer still has to get his financing approved so there is that bit of uncertainty and a wait, but we are moving ahead. We plan to move in mid-March, about 6 weeks from now.

I am gratified by how excited many of our friends, including some on Facebook I’ve never met, are about this move. And they are already thinking creatively about uses for this ridiculously large home in a historic neighborhood. “Contemplative prayer groups, dream groups, hymn sings and more,” says Deanna. “You can always rent out rooms to students,” says someone else. I know the grandchildren will climb straight up to the little suite on the third floor and play hide-and-seek in the endless nooks and crannies.

But I really don’t know what will happen in this house and as a result of this move. That’s part of the adventure. I’ve created a new category, “Pink Lady saga,” so you can keep up with what I write about it.

What a luxury all this is. I know that, while many Americans are poorly housed or even homeless, almost any American home is luxurious compared to average homes in most of the rest of the world–in terms of space as well as infrastructure such as plumbing, heating, electricity, appliances, and more. No other culture spends as much time and money on houses, landscaping, décor–and garages. (Our cars are better housed than most people in the Third World.) Americans are house proud. I confess that I participate in this, even though I could be happy in almost any minimal space. I know because I have tried it, mostly in other countries.

So I’m not really sure how we ended up with the Pink Lady. As I said in the last post, it is an expansive move, partly in response to frightening, fast-breaking events in our country.

It seems related to another response I’ve had to the election–besides overcoming phone shyness and calling lawmakers. And that is to seek deeper spiritual experience and community. As one facebook meme said, “when they go low, we go deep.” I don’t like the “they” and “we,” but it strikes me better than “we go high.” Although I aspire to the high, ethical road of truth, honesty, and justice, I don’t claim moral superiority.

“Going deep” has taken me to a weekly gathering around Cynthia Bourgeault’s latest book, The Heart of Centering Prayer. Going deep prompts me to practice centering prayer regularly, twice a day. Going deep prompts me to experiment with other ways of praying that feel right. Going deep prompts me to explore all this with my husband and close friends. Going deep keeps me going to church, even when church seems inadequate. Going deep keeps me tuned to joy and devotion as well as pain and suffering.

And somehow, going deep translates into a certain calm in the face of outrageous developments, as well as alertness to what I can and cannot do and should be doing at any given moment. I do believe the Pink Lady came out of this deepening. Going deep has certainly helped to keep my balance while riding the real estate rollercoaster.

But maybe I have just gone off the deep end!

What does going deep mean for you? Or, how are you staying grounded these days?