


Bread, milk, fruit, eggs,
a family puzzle we stayed up till 11pm one night doing,
a stuffed animal for my toddler,
a sewing project for my 8 year old,
a kind word of encouragement,
a witty joke,
a reference to literature
a story from across the world
a promise to pray:
these are the things my friend of 14 years,
Sister Angela, has brought to my door
when she’s stopped by some evenings around 8 pm,
after a busy day of caring for migrants and the poor,
to leave groceries and an unassuming smile.
“It’s exactly what we needed!” I exclaim.
“God knew,” she answers with quiet confidence…
my angel, my messenger,
bearing so many little tokens
of God’s love.
The faces of old friends
grow dearer with each passing year
Every wrinkle a trace of their joy
and sorrow
a reminder of the fragility of life
bittersweet
Precious and dear
the ones we love
Each grey hair adds to their beauty
for time adds to the treasure house of memories
we share with them–
they are ever more familiar
and beloved
I was just beginning to write this silly little poem earlier when the baby flung back his arm while nursing and hit “post” long before it was ready. Eek! Sorry for those who received this strange snippet in their inbox! Now that the kids have stopped parachuting off their bunkbeds or other similar gymnastic feats, I’ve been able to finish it. Voilá!
The amorous little gentleman
approached with an unabashed smile of delight
and pulling my hair towards him
took a generous chomp of my chin.
He is not at all shy
but perfectly clear
that it’s his utter to delight to bite me
—smooch here and here and here—
If he weren’t so sweet,
like a down covered peach,
perhaps I would try to struggle
but darling he is,
I simply give in
and chubby arms round my neck
give him a snuggle.
Do we realize our immense dignity
as children of God?
That we are
with the coals of divine love
burning in our souls
as walking tabernacles
of the Holy Spirit?
Every touch, every gesture
should be one of love
as done by one bearing an immense treasure,
a wealth of gleaming gold
inside a simple earthen vessel.
How then our work can be an act of worship
done in union with God within us
with the delicacy of one in love.
May we glow with this warmth
bringing affection to all we encounter
and the joy of being children of God
ever in His presence.
How beautiful it is to be here with so many sisters
Of ages 18 to 80
From many countries
And many different pasts
Learning together, growing together,
Dancing through the differences to find
Our common heart
Our shared desire for
A life with deeper meaning
A world with brighter hope
And warmer love
Embracing everyone
With our prayer and affection
Those confiding smiles
That sincere understanding
And many little acts of kindness
May this better world
Where each person is sacred
Begin with us
Puppies need lots and lots of affection.
Puppies love to nap.
Puppies like to play with other animals.
Puppies love treats and getting messy.
Puppies enjoy being taken for walks.
Puppies like to play on the floor.
Puppies delight in popping out of funny places like boxes.
If any of you are puppy owners, you’ll surely agree they are sweet, loyal and a little sticky, and make you feel very, very loved!
Little one
When you arrived
You were like a little rosebud
Picked in the rain
Crinkled, crimson, vulnerable
And I was afraid
Time would tarnish you further
My heart quaked before seeing you again
And I felt terrible to be a mother afraid
To see her own child
The first night it was true
You were so cold
As if the frost had bitten your beauty
And your stillness was so solemn
I left you that night
Weeping and broken
With a sprig of baby’s breath
Clutched in your tiny fists
But when we returned
Two days later to visit you
Kindly laid out by the hospital chaplain
You were rosier
Your cheeks were fuller
Like the little rosebud
Had begun to unfurl
Such a mercy
Your three biggest sisters
Could find you lovely
Patting your cheek
Holding your tiny hands in theirs
Proudly having their picture taken with you
Their baby
They took turns leaving kisses
On your sweet face
One of the few gifts
You could take to Heaven
But the most beautiful day of all
Was the last one we saw you
At the funeral chapel
Our sweet funeral director Michelle
Suggested I help dress you
In the one dress you’ll wear forever
The one I searched the city for
And finally found in a little Italian shop
On the east side of town
Where the Italian grandmas embraced me
And exclaimed “Que bella, que bella!” at your photo
It was a fall baptismal dress
A cosy knitted one from Europe
With a matching sweater and booties
Creamy white with little bits of shiny pink
The last one in the store
Meant for you
So the day before your funeral
Michelle brought you to us
Carrying you in her arms
With the affection and tenderness of a mother
Wrapped in your cosy blanket
The warmest and softest one I could find
And, little rose, you were in bloom!
Your beauty was enchanting
You sparkled as Daddy held you close
And I even laughed and said
You were our little snow queen
You looked so real, so alive
So much like a little baby sleeping
That your grandmother
Meeting you for the first time
Couldn’t help rocking you back and forth
“My baby, my baby!”
So many came that day
All your five children siblings
Your two uncles
And one aunt
And our friend Fr. Uy
Who delivered your crown
You must have felt the affection
Poured on you as everyone took their turn
To hold you, our precious one
And I remember my brother Monti
The one who flew from Hawaii to be here for me
Saying as he held you, “She’s ok. She’s really ok.”
And as we crowned you with a tiny crown
Of yellow and white flowers
Laced with sparkles
And a tiny medal of our Lady
Hand sewn for hours that morning
By a woman from the parish we hardly knew
You, darling, simply glowed
Sharing with us
A tiny glimpse
Of the radiance of Heaven