Thursday, January 19, 2006

The Spunky Nun

My mom had surgery today, so The Bambina and I hung out at the hospital with my dad for the day while it was all going on. Before my mom went to the OR, we went in to see her and give her kisses from "The Boys" who as you may recall are The Bambina's stuffed dog and sheep. My major reason for hanging around the hospital, besides my mom, was to keep my dad from climbing the walls. I am pleased to report, and I mean this in the non-GWB sense, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Regardless, one of the most interesting parts of the day was the pre-op visit of The Spunky Nun. You know who I mean. Short grey hair, reminds you of that lady in your church who worked with the youth group or played the autoharp/guitar/banjo, or was your high school yearbook advisor, and doesn't seem flustered by anything or anyone. I LOVE The Spunky Nun!

I have developed my love for TSN from my various hospitalizations wherein I have been visited by priests, pastors, rabbis and sundry religious factotums (factota?). The priests were nice but I think their regalia made me feel so fraudulent until I blurted, "Thanks so much for visiting but I'm Jewish!!"

The ministers/pastors/various Protestant reps were also nice, but a tad more on the "cancer face" side of things, by which I mean that face people give you (regardless of your actual disease) when they say, "And how ARE you?" cheerily but their face says: "you poor, poor dear oh my goodness you look so sick things must not be going well."

The rabbi who was there full time was a total freakin' nut job. He would come and talk AT me about his book or god knows what because I was not feeling good enough to listen properly.

And then she came into my life: The Spunky Nun. And just like she did for my mom today, didn't get all religious, didn't tell me all about herself, didn't require me to give her anything. She just came in, said hello, asked me how I was doing in a tremendously sincere way, and then touched my knee/leg/arm and said, "may the good lord bless you and keep you, today and in the future." Hospital pastoral visits don't get much better than that.

Amen Sister! Literally.

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