09/16/2026
This year's Wild Goose Festival served up plenty of surprises: tech failures, solo instead of collaborative workshop presentation, torrential rain, and a storm that literally moved my tent 10 feet and soaked nearly everything.
But in that sacred space of genuine community and encounter, I left with far more gifts than regrets.
🪿 Gifts of the Goose:
• Humility: realizing my ambitions exceeded reality, and that less doing often creates more space for meaningful connection.
• Unexpected companions: from a golf cart conversation with a man who didn’t know he was wearing a St. Benedict medal to fellow podcasters, authors, and seekers whose deep faith was matched by their accepting generosity.
• Engaged community: the joy of a thoughtful live audience for the first time, on the Goose Cast stage; provocative questions; and meeting fans who have been walking with my work for years.
• Everyday saints: witnessing kindness in action from people who quietly helped others during the storm without seeking recognition.
• Fellow laborers: being inspired by creators who happily serve small but meaningful audiences.
• Generosity: sharing books freely and discovering that gifts given without expectation often become blessings received.
• Gratitude for safety: despite the chaos, no one was hurt, and many hands made recovery possible.
• Learning to accept help: a reminder that community is not only offering support, but receiving it.
• Resilience: trusting that every disappoint becomes preparation for the next challenge.
• Authentic presence: focusing less on what I came to accomplish and more on the people I came to meet.
• Praying as myself: showing up honestly, rooted in tradition, and trusting that authenticity creates space for encounter.
The biggest gift? Letting go of my agenda long enough to notice God's work already happening in and around me.
D'Joyous HMc
Until next year, All Blessings, Wild Goose! 🪿❤️
