The first recollection of our wonderful friendship with Sister Veronica, was about twenty five to thirty years ago. Short in stature, a broad smile and quick wit, whose precious innocent face, bore laugh lines and crow's feet, from years of squinting in the sunlight, yet her brow showed the pain of quiet suffering, endured by this lovely woman, suffering she never complained about, yet she had the ability to bring joy, comfort and humor into the lives of everyone she had ever met.
Sister Veronica, for years has called the Sisters of Charity, Holy Family Mother House, her home. Within the walls of the convent she finds solace, peace and shares the closeness of her devotion to God with her "family". She prays for those who can't, won't and don't know how. She asks for forgiveness, although I cannot imagine why she feels she has done wrong, she prays for a better world than she has witnessed. Where does she come from? In her words..."the old country", behind the former Iron Curtain, a place she has returned to a few times, despite the horrors she has endured. Although she never mentioned her "ordeals", those within her inner circle, her confidants, have let small glimpses of these times be known.
Were she not a nun, she might be called an eccentric elderly woman, whose wit has never retreated from her body. A fierce fighter and defender, even through the torture she endured, from former Iron Curtain interrogators, they must admit she was a "worthy adversary." Travelling to visit family and close religious friends, living in land where religion was not a freedom, Sister Veronica was thought to be a spy! Detained for unknown amount of time, she never for a moment thought of admitting to something she hadn't done, just for the sake of giving in. Defeat is NOT part of her vocabulary nor her personality.
Before our Fred's News years she would take her daily walk to the local Post Office, carrying her leather satchel, hauling the mail back to the convent. She could of taken one of the many vehicles parked at her home, yet she chose to stroll out and about the Town, visiting with whomever crossed her path. Her driving skills, not the best, she did the public a favor! Should there be packages too large to carry, she would warn friends of her eminent return behind the wheel. Often she would stop by our yard, visiting with Mr. Bill as he puttered around his small greenhouse. A great fan of Mother Nature's domain, Sister Veronica, asked Mr. Bill all about the flowers. "Coach", she affectionately called him, (he was the basketball and softball coach for her all girl's school teams), "why are my flowers not as beautiful as yours?" Knowing these conversations always ended in the same manner, the Egg-Nazi usually surrendering a few plants to her, he loved the banter just as much as her. "Are ya feeding them babies, Sister?" he always asked. "Sure " but they don't like me" she would answer. "Are ya talking to little beauties,Sister" he would question. "Yes, I am, but they aren't listening," then she would laugh. "Take care Coach, I'll see you tomorrow, got to pick up some packages, I'll be on the road again." she would warn. "Thanks Sister, I'll make sure I'm in the back yard, it will be safer for me!" he would joke. "Just you wait, Coach I'm aiming for you, got you in my sights," and off she'd go, laughing and talking all the way back to the Convent.
In later years, after our purchase of Fred's News, Sister Veronica stopped in a few times a week on her daily journey, giving all the regular customers, hearty love pats on the back. "Is is to early for a shot and beer?" she joked as she bellied up to the bar, pushing elbows to the side, hoping her small but mighty body might fit in. "Are my girls behaving in the afternoon?" she would question. Knowing she would never tattle on the ones that didn't behave, she enjoyed these few moments of banter, as did everyone else. Regulars always requested her presence next to them, we offered coffee, tea or a bit to eat, "no thank you, got to be on my way," she would announce, "time to run a few errands!" Obviously her way of letting everyone know, she'd be on the road, get the hell out of her way! Thank you dear Sister!
Sister Veronica, for years has called the Sisters of Charity, Holy Family Mother House, her home. Within the walls of the convent she finds solace, peace and shares the closeness of her devotion to God with her "family". She prays for those who can't, won't and don't know how. She asks for forgiveness, although I cannot imagine why she feels she has done wrong, she prays for a better world than she has witnessed. Where does she come from? In her words..."the old country", behind the former Iron Curtain, a place she has returned to a few times, despite the horrors she has endured. Although she never mentioned her "ordeals", those within her inner circle, her confidants, have let small glimpses of these times be known.
Were she not a nun, she might be called an eccentric elderly woman, whose wit has never retreated from her body. A fierce fighter and defender, even through the torture she endured, from former Iron Curtain interrogators, they must admit she was a "worthy adversary." Travelling to visit family and close religious friends, living in land where religion was not a freedom, Sister Veronica was thought to be a spy! Detained for unknown amount of time, she never for a moment thought of admitting to something she hadn't done, just for the sake of giving in. Defeat is NOT part of her vocabulary nor her personality.
Before our Fred's News years she would take her daily walk to the local Post Office, carrying her leather satchel, hauling the mail back to the convent. She could of taken one of the many vehicles parked at her home, yet she chose to stroll out and about the Town, visiting with whomever crossed her path. Her driving skills, not the best, she did the public a favor! Should there be packages too large to carry, she would warn friends of her eminent return behind the wheel. Often she would stop by our yard, visiting with Mr. Bill as he puttered around his small greenhouse. A great fan of Mother Nature's domain, Sister Veronica, asked Mr. Bill all about the flowers. "Coach", she affectionately called him, (he was the basketball and softball coach for her all girl's school teams), "why are my flowers not as beautiful as yours?" Knowing these conversations always ended in the same manner, the Egg-Nazi usually surrendering a few plants to her, he loved the banter just as much as her. "Are ya feeding them babies, Sister?" he always asked. "Sure " but they don't like me" she would answer. "Are ya talking to little beauties,Sister" he would question. "Yes, I am, but they aren't listening," then she would laugh. "Take care Coach, I'll see you tomorrow, got to pick up some packages, I'll be on the road again." she would warn. "Thanks Sister, I'll make sure I'm in the back yard, it will be safer for me!" he would joke. "Just you wait, Coach I'm aiming for you, got you in my sights," and off she'd go, laughing and talking all the way back to the Convent.
In later years, after our purchase of Fred's News, Sister Veronica stopped in a few times a week on her daily journey, giving all the regular customers, hearty love pats on the back. "Is is to early for a shot and beer?" she joked as she bellied up to the bar, pushing elbows to the side, hoping her small but mighty body might fit in. "Are my girls behaving in the afternoon?" she would question. Knowing she would never tattle on the ones that didn't behave, she enjoyed these few moments of banter, as did everyone else. Regulars always requested her presence next to them, we offered coffee, tea or a bit to eat, "no thank you, got to be on my way," she would announce, "time to run a few errands!" Obviously her way of letting everyone know, she'd be on the road, get the hell out of her way! Thank you dear Sister!
She was a beautiful soul for sure!!! Good thing for us all that "God was her co-pilot!" He could atleast see over the steering wheel anyways!!
ReplyDeleteHer smile was infectious and as for her green thumb-- she grew the most beautiful Christmas cactuses I've ever seen!!!! Thank you Dee for sharing. And thank you Mr. Bill for sharing some plants- Sister's green house was a wonderful place!!!!
Sister Veronica was my fourth grade teacher at St. Joseph's school. In order to keep us from talking in class and keeping us in our seats she would call us "Chatter Boxes" and "Walking Sticks". For those of us who were intimidated by a nickname like that, it worked well enough.
ReplyDelete