Indelible Memories

Do certain persons come to mind whenever you see a particular object or do a specific thing? When memories are of deceased persons, I appreciate the reminder of their unseen presence and recall the days I lived with them. Whenever I throw towels in the dryer, I hear the voice of deceased Sister Marilyn Kay Borer say, “Make sure you shake out the towels before putting them in the dryer.” I hear the voice of Sister Thomasita exclaiming “You unkempt rodent!” (her polite version of “you dirty rat”) when foiled in a card game. I can hardly pick up a magazine of current events without thinking of Sister Mary Bernarda Sullivan who kept up with the news despite advancing age. When I improvise to cover the action in church, I think of Sister Mary Delphine who said that she accidentally played “Beer Barrel Polka” when improvising in church. When tuning up to sing, I think of Sister Mary Michel Schmidt who would sing “Asperges Me” in staccato. When I remember my dad, I hear him say, “Be nice, girls.” And my mom would get us up in the morning by calling out, “Everybody happy?” These memories are a little chance to say hello to these wonderful people once again.