Last winter, I became intrigued and fascinated by (and . . . okay, a little addicted to) a British TV show, Call the Midwife. It starts in the late 1950’s. A group of nuns and secular midwives tend to the poor families in London. There are 15 seasons, so there’s a lot of drama going on, and all possible kinds of childbirth, relationships, friends, and legal matters happening.

I watched the whole series, beginning to end. Then I couldn’t stand for it to be over, so I started from the beginning. What a relief, to meet these old (and young!) characters again.

The second time through the episodes, I found myself drawn to and fascinated by the oldest nun in Nonnatus House: Sister Monica Joan. This is my SoulCollage that I made to honor her vivacity, her rebellious side, her love of sweets, her love of television, and most of all . . . her hard-earned wisdom.

I am naming this card as part of my Community Suit of sentient beings and sacred places. Even though she is a fictional character, she feels like a beloved sister or aunt. This Neter could also be considered archetypal (Council suit), but for now, for me, she lives in my Community.

Who are you?
I am the one who delights in the simple things in life. Oh, I know all about bringing babies into this world, but I know other things too. 

I am the one who is an elder whose place in the community is limited. I offer help when I can, but my body sometimes fails me.

I am the one with crackling wit and a mischievous grin. I am the one who believes that even the dandelions deserve to flourish in the ground.

I am the one who speaks truth to power and doesn’t care one whit what others think of me.

I am the one who is watched over by the divine. I am the one who suffers fools gladly. I am the one who is true to myself.

What do you have to give me?
I give you my wisdom. I give you my strength. I give you the courage to speak out and tell the truth.

I give you permission to watch TV to your heart’s content because there is power in stories and story-telling.

I give you permission to eat cake!!

What do you want from me?
I want you to remember that you are not alone. I want you to know that aging is a blessing.
I want you to wonder at all the marvelous growing things in the world.

What do I need to know today?
You need to know that life goes on. You need to know that you won’t be alone when you die. I think you should know that your life is important and that your work in the world matters.