"I'll go anywhere.
I travel light and my bags are packed.
Just as long as I'm where you're at,
I'm gonna have a real good view.
I'll go anywhere, anywhere with you."
- "Anywhere With You," Jake Owens
Imagine: You're a freshmen in high school and you find out your Theology teacher is a nun. Go figure. You're not only new at school, but you still have this idea that nuns are going to kick your butt. You sit silently as the young nun in front of you tries to start prayers. This woman in front of you is a ball of mystery and you're intrigued.
It's not that hard for many of you to imagine. Perhaps you were a few years younger and in grade school when the nuns taught you. Maybe you were a little but more terrified because the nuns were stereo-typically harsh and cruel to any bad students. Maybe you never spoke in class because nothing you could possibly say would have been right. Many of you reading this have had a sister in the classroom at some point in your life and so, going back to those moments isn't hard.
Now imagine: Sister is trying to start the YouTube video for prayers when suddenly there's a knock on the classroom door. You have no idea who these two young women are, except one appears familiar to you. Sister stops what she is doing, throws her hands in the air and almost picks up the taller of the two, the one who seems familiar. After a few seconds of joyful conversation, Sister goes back to prayer. The two strangers stand there, heads bowed in prayer. You try so hard to pay attention, but you can't stop thinking about where you've seen the one young woman before. After prayers, the two quietly tell Sister they have to leave but before the walk out, Sister mentions something about having a movie date again soon. Then the familiar girl laughs, asks Sister if she wants to go Ice Skating later that night and you remember where you saw her: the other night at dinner...out with another sister.
Your first reactions? Nuns go ice skating? Nuns leave the convent? Nuns have friends? Who is this girl? Why does she hang out with nuns all the time? Is she serious? She's not a nun but...maybe? Ironically, as I was leaving the classroom atmosphere I just described (yes, I was that girl who interrupted class), I heard the class begin to whisper all of these questions. I had to laugh at the girls and my sister, who was with me, casually said, "Don't they know she's a cool nun?"
Often, I forget that it's a little "abnormal" to hang out with nuns so much. I forget that walks in fly helicopters, or drives across the city, or invitations to go ice skating is normal until nuns are involved. Most people are shocked when they see sisters or priests out in public, but why? I simply giggle and move on. Yes, we often get questioning glances, or even sometimes we meet extremely brave people who ask the questions everyone else is thinking. I watch as my sisters shrug, smile and answer the questions. It doesn't bother them....it doesn't bother me. My sisters are just as real as you and me. And I guess that's why I really often forget that it's "abnormal." Oh well...
Yesterday, I partook in my own personal "Convent Run." I started with interrupting classes at Nazareth with my real life, blood sister, then I ran to visit Sister Phyllis, then after having been in my house no less than a half hour, I was out the door again to visit with my lifelong cheerleader at Santucci's and then finally a night of feeling old and out of shape at the skate rink with my partner in crime. Each time I walked out the door, my mother asked me where I was going. My answer? The convent, Mom. Don't worry, I'm with the nuns. It's a common joke in my family that while most people think when a person is hanging out with the Sisters, there would be no trouble. But when Becca hangs out with the Sisters, there is always trouble.
I was already thanking God for the amount of blessings He was giving me before I left Nazareth. Little did I know, He would continue to shower me with blessings. Not knowing it at the time, I wound up spending a good few hours chatting it up with Sister Phyllis and ironically most of it was about my girl Katie D, better known to the world as St. Katharine Drexel. As we were chatting, I could feel nothing but blessings from the good Lord above. I am so spoiled, I decided. God is so good. The adventure continued when while I was with Sister Phyllis, Sister Virginia called me. Of course, as usual, she didn't answer when I called back. We're like little kids in the sense that we love to play tag....phone tag that is.
But finally, we connected. I told her that I had a few hours before my ice skating adventure and so, within minutes after hanging up the phone, I was in the car headed to her convent. The thing about friends, I have learned, is that if they are true friends, you could go months without seeing them or talking with them and you pick right up where you left off. The last time I had seen Sister Virginia, we were sitting in a corner booth in a restaurant in the middle of August. Cheerleaders, as you know, are there to cheer on their players when they play well AND when their morale is down. She is my cheerleader through and through. This particular time, I was at the verge of tears in that corner booth. I told her how scared I was, how doubtful, how unsure I was about what God wanted me to do with me life. She took my hands and said, "No matter what, I'll always been your number one cheerleader. Whether that means letting you go or welcoming you home, I'll be here for you. Don't ever forget that." And I carried what she said with me through the year. Despite never being able to connect over the phone or email, I knew she was praying for me. And I knew that I had to try all I could to see her before I went back to school. So, we once again found ourselves at a corner booth (this time at the high top tables...oh boy.) and sharing our thoughts.
I never gave a second thought to the fact that there I was, sitting in Santucci's with a Sister. We were enjoying pizza and water on a Lenten Friday at a high top table. This time, instead of tears of desperation, I was crying tears of joy and laughter. I was laughing so hard that literal tears were streaming down my face. I was telling her tale after tale of all my adventures. Finally, I told her that God has given me such peace, that I am happy, that I know where God wants me. Once again, just like last time, she took my hands and thanked God with me. There was no question about praying in public, we simply just did it. For me, this was normal, something that brought joy to my heart and truly gave me a vision of future me. Arm in arm we left, laughing and giggling like the two sisters we are.
Within minutes of departing from my dear-hearted, Sister, I was headed down the road to pick up my partner in crime, Sister Mary Anthony so we could join my family ice skating. When we arrived on the ice, arm in arm (it's a running theme...) my sisters, my dad and my sister's friends skated over to us absolutely overjoyed. I said to the girls, "I hope you don't mind that I brought my friend with me...do you?" We all laughed. My family, by now is so used to hanging out with the sisters at family functions. There is a beautiful mutual love that makes me feel like I am home. We skated for a straight two hours and I couldn't help but laugh as the Older Staff Member kept following us around the rink. At first, I didn't think anything of it. But then I thought, oh maybe Sister's veil or skirt is a rink violation, because she wore her habit, you know. Later though, we realized that he was merely intrigued that Sister was out Ice Skating. Of course, a few other random rink kids were also very intrigued. My family and I merely skated.
While Sister and I were skating around, I thanked her for being a visible sign for me. I told her that long ago, when I first felt called to this vocation, I had planned on wearing my habit everywhere. It came about when my extended family asked me if I would wear my habit when I was at home at family parties. Without hesitation, I told them that of course I would! Of course, all my uncles asked about the kids who would probably get my habit dirty and various other scenarios since my cousins love me to death and I always wind up dirtier than they do. What's a habit without a little wear and tear? There's nothing a little Tide can't fix! The habit, for me, symbolizes deep simplicity. There are no frills and thrills about a habit. There's no tight waist line or low scoop neck; there's nothing fashionable about it. Yet, I love it. And just like my dear Sr. Mary Anthony, I would wear my habit in the snow, on the ice, on the service sight, basically anywhere.
One thing I really didn't realize until now is that her being a visible witness to religious life last night really helped break down some stereotypes. Does anyone know a nun who goes ice skating? Now you do! When my sisters agree to going out with me, whether it's out for Chinese, out for Pizza, out to the Zoo or Ice Skating, they give me hope. They, without knowing it, are helping me help them break down these stereotypes of religious life. My Sisters are real people just like me and you. They are made out of the same flesh and blood (to quote Sister David...) as you and I. These Sisters do so much just as normal people and you can all count on the fact that I will follow their footsteps. Life is a constant adventure and journey of questions and answers, and I hope that because I'll go anywhere, as long as I'm with Him, my friends, family and so many others can begin to have a clearer view of this beautiful, religious life. Amen? Amen!
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