Picking up where I left off

 In response to some requests to hear more about my last post, I'll be picking up where I left off but first, I need to contact the friend who copied some photos for me as they were organized as as a PDF which Blogger does not recognize and so cannot be used here as originally intended until the format is changed.

For those of you interested in the book I discussed briefly in my last post, it is titled Lonesome Calling by Angela Tougas Pihlman. I've by now read several books by nuns, most of whom began as aspirants as young as fifteen during their high school years, typically in the late 1940s to late 1950's prior to what is known as Vatican II. which changed the lives and expectations for nuns in many orders in the United States.

I am currently reading another book of the same ilk by Renee Therese Dearborn who also left her order, had a family and eventually became a psychotherapist and writer. I plan to read the memoirs of two nuns who remain with their orders. All of these women take many positive experiences and opportunities for growth from their time in religious orders and none are angry, bitter or ashamed of themselves. While one lamented her inability to be the perfect nun in her eyes, she readily admits that this idea sprang from her youth and lack of life experience as well as a lack of understanding of the demands of religious life. This brings up an interesting point which is that women, regardless of vocational choice. often feel pressured to be "perfect," placing impossible demands upon themselves and often mirroring the unrealistic expectations from those closest to them or from the world at large. This far exceeds the bounds of a blog post and has instigated research, books, debate and discussion in diverse arenas.

So, why, you wonder, do I read these? Perhaps as an homage to the Sisters I knew as a kid, in attempting to understand aspects of their lives I wasn't privy to then and to know just a bit of what they saw and lived through in 90 or more years on the planet, among other things.

Thanks for your interest and comments.

Thoughts

 Today was quiet, as the nocturnal orange overlord and I slept in and I finished a book of over five hundred pages written by a woman who entered a religious order in the early fifties as teenager, matured and attained a teaching degree, eventually took final vows and left the order after fifteen years. Her life in between and during all of these events makes interesting reading since it involves her experiences, modern Church and secular history in America and a heart-wrenching decision to surrender what had been a dream since childhood.

Having known several nuns and former nuns, first as a young teen and later in adulthood. they were all smart, dedicated to service and to the discipline of a God-centered religious life. Those who eventually left did so for a variety of reasons, which like the author, they and their superiors found compelling. No-one who makes final vows after years does so lightly nor is the ultimate parting always easy. After such a lengthy book, I was left wishing the author had provided a bit more about her adjustment to the outside. She did marry and work in a more fruitful path and she continued to have some contact with her former order. This book left me thinking of my time as a young teen volunteering in an orthopedic hospital in Colombia served by the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence. That is a story for another day, but I had my first real taste of serving others at age fourteen working with toddlers and babies there. That, and the nuns who made it possible, I've never forgotten. I  see now that throughout my life, service in various forms has been a theme.

What about you??

1:45 AM

 I have just damp mopped my kitchen floor. The grout, which wasn't sealed when the tile was put in, needs scrubbing, but that is a task for another day or late night, in this case. The beautiful vegan legume and vegetable creation my friend gave me as soup on Sunday is gone but I have a recipe so there is a good chance more of that is in my future. She said it was rather bland but for her addition of some red pepper flakes which I found gave this soup an enjoyable kick because she did not overdue them. The nice thing about most soups is the flexibility one can have with seasoning or ingredients.

We had a wee bit of rain yesterday followed by more overnight and temperatures in the 50's and 60's, which are expected to go down over the weekend. Lukas enjoyed a circle of sun near an open window today while I mostly slept. He is now in the bed waiting to see when I'll return, which may not be for a few hours yet since I need to deal with recycling. mail and trash, unpack a box of food for him and figure out where to stash the piles of stuff on my dinette table, including the cat canvases I've yet to hang and had for months. Meanwhile, since my neighbors are sleeping, I cannot do laundry or vacuum, so sorting, trashing and putting away will be the order of this very early day, along with some meditation. I also need to find my phone and charge it. Lukas likes hiding it when he can reach it.

Wishing all of you a sweet day.

Still Here

My body clock is upside down again. Lukas loves to be up at night and his latest trick is to go to bed with me at a normal time and then get up and down. insisting that I pick him up and put him in bed between eating, drinking and using the box. At the moment he is happily ensconced in my bed. I obviously am not. Today is devoted to bills, groceries and his vet appointment, all of which should be done by lunchtime. After that, I'll be getting some beauty rest.

On another note, a friend called Sunday with an offer of homemade soup that I could not refuse. It is a vegan mix of legumes and vegetables which I will probably have for dinner. I've ordered two soup cookbooks, including the latest from blogger Judee Algazi and will hopefully expand my culinary horizons. It is rainy here today so a good soup will fit the bill.

What are you up to??

Monday

 Thanks to those of you who left kind comments and good wishes for the recent holidays.  I am okay, if a bit tired as the furry overlord has been getting me up around 4 AM which has thrown my sleep schedule off, especially when I nap.

Last night I cleaned the box twice  and then had to get up for a small hairball in the hallway. This morning, my small furry overlord is in fine fettle and off to his vet. I've gotten groceries for the remainder of Passover and will be batch cooking once he returns home. Because I did not attend a Seder. I chose to make some non-traditional recipes, including a crust-free quiche with broccoli, cauliflower and carrot, which I've enjoyed. This can be made ahead and served for any meal. making it very versatile. I also do not drink or cook with alcohol so my charoset, a mixture of apples, raisins and nuts, is made with a small amount of honey and either apple or pomegranate juice. I did not make a lot of that this year, preferring to simply enjoy it for one night.

Apart from this. I've been reading and trying to keep up with the spate of audiobooks which seem to all become available at the same time. Recent favorites include: The Light We Carry. Horse. White Like Her, and The Personal Librarian.

Wishing you all a great day!

Holidays

 Happy Easter to those who celebrate and Happy Passover as well!