The Road Less Traveled

I gather from a few posts on social media that some of my high school classmates are planning a 40-year reunion this summer. Although I haven’t seen many of them in 20+ years, I doubt they would be surprised to hear that I have become a Benedictine sister. However, I think they would be surprised at some of the other things I’ve done in the past 40 years, such as working at the National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company in Kansas City, attending graduate school in the Baltimore area, residing in racially and economically diverse neighborhoods in St. Louis for 13 years, buying two houses, and traveling to England and Wales. I was surprised that I did those things myself!

I believe that our soul—the unique essence of who we are—is established early, perhaps even at birth. However, it often takes time for us to accept and grow into who we are, as it were. I was drawn to God from childhood, but it took me a long time to figure out that joining a monastic community was the best way for me to live out that primary relationship, given my temperament, gifts, limitations, and cultural/familial influences. I also was timid and lacked self confidence as a child, but over the years, God provided me with ample opportunities to challenge myself and learn that courage is part of my soul’s makeup as well.

Although aging has its drawbacks, it also includes blessings. For me, that means I have finally learned how to be comfortable in my own skin, accept my limitations, and recognize that I have a responsibility to share my gifts, even when that’s not convenient or comfortable. Since graduating from high school 40 years ago I’ve traveled a lot of unexpected avenues, but I’m grateful for all of them because of the people I’ve encountered who have mirrored Christ for me along the way.