Today Lisa Jo asks us to stop, drop, and write for five minutes on the word, “catch,” without worrying if what we write is right.
GO!
“Look! Penguins!”
I was maybe four years old, and we were at the train station.
Great-Aunt Emma had come from out of state for a visit.
Sister Mary Lucinda.
My great-grandmother’s sister.
I don’t remember this.
My mother says that Aunt Emma stayed at a local convent in the area and that she could not come into our house, so Mom served her lunch outside.
She wanted to make dessert special, so she topped it with maraschino cherries she found in the back of the refrigerator and served it up.
Grandma was horrified. The cherries had been soaking in rum for fruitcake.
So Mom sent Aunt Emma back to the convent with rum on her breath.
I wrote newsy letters to her over the years, and she wrote back every Easter and Christmas in a small, beautiful script–always in blue ink.
She encouraged me in my activities, cautioned me against doing too much, and always pointed me toward God.
Once she got special permission from Mother Superior to write “off season” because I had written an especially long newsy journal-like letter.
She is probably why I thought I might become a nun–even though we weren’t Catholic.
Then the letters stopped.
I didn’t know why.
It seems like years before my grandmother, her niece, told me that she had received a letter.
Aunt Emma had passed away.
I missed her.
I miss her.
But her letters allowed me to catch a whiff of Jesus.
STOP!
Linking also with Jennifer who’s hosting a community writing project–a word portrait of a person from our childhood who influenced us– for The High Calling.
Note: I’m writing today from my mother’s hospital room. She had a brain biopsy on Wednesday. Our family is grateful for your prayers.
A window into the life of a nun, through your eyes–a sweet perspective. I’ll bet she loved that stream of letters from you. Imagine how your writing ministered to her, and here you are, still ministering. So glad you linked this to the community writing project!
I forgot to mention that she was a teacher. I remember that my mom insisted on reading my early letters before I mailed them. Somehow I don’t think Aunt Emma would have been correcting them. 🙂
I never thought about *my* letters ministering to *her.*
I hope your mother is doing well and the biopsy results will be encouraging. My prayers continue for her… and for you and your family. Your love of family is always evident in your writings and your “doings”. I love your story about your Aunt Emma… rum and all. 🙂
Heehee! My mom is still embarrassed when she tells the story.
So appreciate you, Carol!
I got such a kick out of the whole idea of a nun going back with rum on her breath. 🙂
Glad you linked up, Sandy. You have such a beautiful voice, and you enrich the High Calling community with your words in this place.
I almost didn’t make it. Nothing like squeaking in at the last minute. Love you, friend. You encourage me.
Hi! Coming to you through Gypsy Mama’s link-up. I loved the mental images your word portrait drew for me. I’m guessing your letters meant the world to her, and I bet she was so glad to be able to write that extra letter back to you. 🙂 Thank you!
Okay … I’m still chuckling at the penguin sighting!
Prayers for all of you.
Hi there =) So interesting to read of the nun’s life. I was schooled by those penguins my whole life… and I always wanted to wear one of the habits so I could hide things in my sleeve like they did. It was like a Mary Poppins satchel. and… I agree with Ann about your ministering words. <3 to you.
I remember talking about her Sandy. She sounds like such a special lady.
Praying for you sweet friend.
I didn’t process the penguins reference ’til the second read. What depth and fun! for five minutes. I’ll never, ever be brave enough to try.
Ah, well done! What a great story. Thank you for sharing it with us.