| Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet | September 10, 2010 |
Ministry Stories
Sister Margaret Mary Edic, CSJ
"Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose."
--Kevin Arnold
A few months ago, Sister Carol Rohloff approached me about writing an article for Newsline. My only dilemma was deciding on the topic. I was hoping for an inspiration. My inspiration came via the Post Office!I came home from school this week, and there in the mail were three Christmas letters from Hawaii. It is a Hawaiian tradition that each year from Advent into Christmas, local communities write a letter recounting all the major events in that community/school/parish for the past year and send the letter to all of the sisters who on the mainland and who once had shared life in the islands. While I lived in the islands, it seemed like one more holiday task to complete. Living "on the mainland," however, has found me anticipating the arrival of those yearly letters. Count me in as one so grateful that the tradition continues!
As I opened, read and set aside the letters, they caused me to pause and reflect, remembering community life, individual sisters, family, ohana and all the "old familiar places." I lived and shared life with sisters in the Vice Province of Hawaii for 22 years, from 1977 to 1999, living in community in Kailua (Oahu), Kahului (Maui) and Waipahu (Oahu).
As you might imagine, life in Hawaii is very different from life in upstate New York. While there, I took full advantage of living close to the ocean. Each night provided a serenade of crashing waves, the rhythm, the ebb and flow lulling me to sleep. Closing my eyes I see: sunrises; magnificent waterfalls in every crevice of the Koolaus; waves; deep blue ocean water; whales breaching; rainbows; beautiful people with dark brown eyes, hair and skin tone; graceful finger movements as dancers tell a story; the dragon at the opening of Chinese New Year. I recall: the smell of plumerias; jumping waves; swimming at moonrise; torrential downpours; living with sisters of diverse backgrounds; community meetings where we all fit in one classroom; hot, hot days and singing "Frosty the Snowman" with my first grade; journeying with many military families awaiting the return of a parent from deployment while living thousands of miles from their nearest relative; great parties; much laughter and over the years, walking miles and miles of beach.
Education is my passion; it always has been and always will be. During those years I had the privilege of teaching grades 1 and 6, and many "parts" of other grades. I completed my master's degree at the University of Hawaii. I will be forever grateful for that experience! Over the years Maui gave me the greatest challenge: teaching a totally self-contained class including music and physical education. Other subjects were no problem! After trying everything in my repertoire, I had students direct the class. On Maui while taking a helicopter ride into Haleakula Crater, I saw that rainbows are circles, not arcs. Life-long learning at its best!
Spring 1999 found me sorting through all my belongings, anticipating the return to my "province of origin." Since everything would be mailed, I downsized at least four times before I actually packaged things and sent them on ahead. There has been many a time when I would look for something and think, "That must not have made it through the final cut!"
How many hundreds of times over these past eleven years I have been asked: Do you miss Hawaii? Of course, I do! After living that many years in Hawaii, Hawaii was my home. But, New York has become my home, too. Perhaps it is age, I would like to think it is wisdom, but I see with different eyes. I see: colorful fall leaves; buds ready to pop open; the Earth thawing; spring flowers rising up with ice upon their blooms; the green of spring, the "different" green of fall; the blue sky with wispy white cumulus; flowers in a colorful array; vegetables growing; turkey in fields of hay where all you see are bobbing heads; deer; pesky squirrels; children running, jumping, enjoying being outside. I recall: the first snowfall of the season; warm summer breezes; the crunch of fall leaves; the smell of fall; being chilled to the bone; shoveling snow; cookout weather; total body involvement as a child tells you something exciting; sewing my first quilt project; relaxing with friends.
What a blessing! What a gift! Memories are my greatest gift. Memories were with me as I set my first step upon Hawaiian soil, as I walked my many days in the islands, as I stepped upon the plane amidst teary alohas, as I settled in New York, as I ministered from place to place. And, the great thing is I keep adding to the memories. I never have too many! There is always room for more! I never have to clean them out or leave them behind! This is the way I hold the things I love, the things I am, the things I never want to lose: my memories.