When You See a Fork in the Road, Take It
Barbarajene Williams Tuesday, 03 March 2009
At the age of forty-six and in the prime of her teaching career, Barbarajene Williams left a life as predictable and as steady as a turtle. Her change of path, prompted by a health crisis, set her on a journey of many choices and transitions over the next twenty-two years. The twists, turns, and u-turns on the way included failing to pass a simple civil service test, receiving an invitation to be a writer in residence on Whidbey Island, earning a ministry degree from the Earlham School of Religion, joining the pastoral care team in a nursing facility, working at a center for women and children in a low income neighborhood, and teaching at Olney Friends School. Immediately before her retirement in 2006, she served as the "spiritual plumber" for Pendle Hill staff. Through it all, she has come to see how personal spiritual practices, enduring images, and choices along the way have prepared her to be a companion for others, especially those in transition. A long-time Friend, she currently attends Yellow Springs Monthly Meeting, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting.