Soul

Sister Mary is a nun and a member of my sumi-e class. She had not been in class for a very long time and many of us wondered what happened to her. Quite unexpectedly, she visited the class last Friday along with two other nuns. They didn't look like the nuns of old, and were wearing cool tennis shoes and sequined baseball caps.

Sis Mary was wearing a small brace around her fragile body and told us that she fell and was in rehab for a few weeks. She then told us that she was going to the "Mother's home" near Louisville, Kentucky. The other two nuns will accompany her on the flight and assured us that she will be well taken care of. I imagine that must be a home for "old nuns." Anyway, the class was very emotional because Sister Mary had been quite inspirational to all of us. When I joined the class she was 90. I was shocked one day when I saw her driving and parking. She wasn't the best artist,(who am I to talk) but seemed to get such joy from each class. We all had great affection for her spirit (She will be 94 tomorrow).

As she began to tell us why she just had to come to bid us farewell, she said that Sumi-e was her soul! That statement just struck me as extremely profound. Another member of the class said "She really got it." It made me wonder about what my soul is. I know that Tony ranks #1 (I am excluding the obvious spiritual component), primary family, extended family, Miami, true friends (shortened list),and all of the things which give me joy. We all need to think about our soul--what is it? I, too, include Sumi-e because that" yoga art for the mind" is almost as meditative as a prayer.