How do I celebrate Ruth’s life of 87 years?

When she was 3 years of age, I entered into her life as a new born baby – too red in color in Ruth’s opinion.

As we grew in age we had our spats, so to speak – I recall the time that Mom gifted me with a Mickey Mouse umbrella at the same time as Ruth received one for her birthday.  So, as we waited for the school bus, my umbrella was poked by hers.

As Ruth always said: In our family, there was a girl and a boy, a girl and a boy, then 2 girls.  Mom thought that it was nice having 2 girls close together and expressed her disappointment that we fought.  Do you recall that Ruth said that we do not fight any more?

Our lives took different directions when Ruth married and I later entered the convent.   We always stayed in touch with each other’s lives as the years passed.  It has been a privilege for me as we journeyed so closely together these last five years.  Ruth told everyone that she was okay as long as she had Virginia, her sister, her best friend, driver, helper, and that neither of us smoked or drank alcohol.  Ruth expressed her opinion on this, even to strangers in line, checking out at a grocery store.

I am so grateful to each of you who welcomed Ruth and me into your life and activities.  For you accepted Ruth so beautifully as she repeated how deeply she felt on certain things over and over again.  I always felt so free to bring Ruth with me: to my local community, to my Area Chapter, to Anna’s Place, to lunch with friends, and many more places.  I thank you for loving my sister, Ruth.  I feel so loved by you.

I am deeply grateful to my community, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, for the privilege of being missioned to journey with Ruth.  May Ruth be enjoying the company of those in heaven as she waits for Virginia to join her.  In the mean time, I hope to live with the same spirit of generosity, graciousness, and love that characterized my dear sister, Ruth.

As Blessed Charles de Foucauld said:

It pleased God to make it easy for us to be saved.  God didn’t attach salvation to knowledge or intelligence or wealth, nor to long experience or rare gifts that are not given to all.  God attached it to something within the reach of everyone.  Jesus attaches salvation to humility, to the act of making yourself little.  That is all it takes to win heaven.

In the end, Ruth’s dementia made are so little in God’s eyes.  I know that she has won heaven.