My experience with nuns.

Good Friday Morning!

Dan Wells writing, I hope this note finds you well and in good spirits!

With a grateful smile I have a story to share, in a nutshell - it's about my experience with nuns.

For most my life, the Sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit have both encouraged me and kept me right. Even though I haven't had the privilege of seeing these great women in years, (since my days at good ole St James School) I still think of them and their examples, OFTEN.

With all of that said, I thought I’d share these life lessons and thoughts with YOU today!

SHE TEACHES WELL THAT LIVES WELL…

Teaching isn't just saying something. It isn't just the words we speak in the classroom or the pulpit, or on occasions when we are just laying down the law.

Teaching isn't anything we can turn off and on any given hour. It is what we do, what we think, what we condone, what we condemn. It is both the subtle and obvious things that make up what we are.

Sometimes we speak as if just setting an example is sufficient, but it isn't so much something we set as it is everything we are. When the stage is set for school the teacher teaches a subject but more important she teaches what she is herself.

- Sister Colette Hilow, C.D.S.

Good stuff right!

Well, before you go, I'm sure many of you are remembering similar moments with the religious women who not only taught us but helped form our very identities.

The following is a true story: told to me in the seventh grade by Sr. Mary…ENJOY!

Several years ago there was a young man, John Blandford, who was very serious about his Faith, the meaning of life, and his studies. John loved to read and spent many hours in the library. One day he took out a philosophy book, and in it were penciled notes which interested him more than the book. The notes reflected his own thoughts about life. There was also an address in a woman's handwriting. John wrote to the woman, Holly Maris, and she wrote back. They exchanged letters frequently and John came to like her very much. They shared the same philosophy of life, the same interests, and seemed to be kindred souls.

In one letter John asked, "Will you tell me your age?" "No," Holly wrote back, "love me for" what I am not my age." In another letter he asked if she would send a picture of herself. "No," Holly responded, 'love me for" what I am, not for" my looks."

John went off to military service and they continued to correspond through these years. John fell deeply in love with Holly. When the time came that John had finished his military duty and was coming home - a young man in his 20′s - he asked Holly to meet him at the train station.

John wrote that he would stand under the clock in the station at 6:00 in his army uniform. Holly replied that she would come wearing a red rose on her lapel, and told John to "Look for a red rose."

At 5:59 he's there. A tall, beautiful blonde in a kelly-green suit walks toward him and smiles. She is the paragon of beauty and just what John expected. He steps toward her irresistibly. She says provocatively, "Going my way, soldier?" With that he sees behind her a short woman, well over 40 - wearing a red rose. She is quite plump, gray, straggly hair, and her heavy ankles are swollen over her low shoes.

He is torn…follow the blonde or go for Holly. He is very disappointed, but goes over to the plump lady in the brown coat with the red rose. "Can I take you to dinner?" he asks trying to hide his disappointment. "Mister, I don't know what this is all about, but that lady you just passed asked me to stand here wearing this red rose. She said if you want to meet her, she'll be in the restaurant."

THE LESSON.....We must look for the red rose, the sign of inner beauty and character in each person we meet. We must look deeper into each person - we must look for the red rose.

- Sister Mary Babik, C.D.S.

BOTTOM LINE……THANK YOU for your dedicated service!....I am better because of it!

Happy Friday!
Dan Wells

Congregation of the Divine Spirit
http://www.sempercaritas.org/