See You Later

Sister Lois Wedl (right) hugging a friend.

My aunt, Virgie, never liked to say goodbye; she preferred to say, “See you later.” Her reason was that goodbye was too defining for her, yet the greeting “I’ll see you later” left things open, even anticipating our next encounter. I have grown to appreciate her piece of wisdom over the years. By replacing a goodbye with a good night, enjoy the rest of your day or see you later. For this reason, I can anticipate our next visit with a sense of hope and gratitude for our relationship. I appreciate this open-ended greeting because it gives me positive energy believing that yes, our paths will cross again.

As I reflected more upon the words “See you later,” I was reminded that even in death we can depend upon our Christian belief and faith in the Resurrection that we will see our loved ones again. Another way I enjoy hearing these words is when guests leave the monastery after having celebrated the Eucharist with us. We encourage our guests to come back and worship with us again week after week as we say, “Please come again.”

If you would like more information about Saint Benedict’s Monastery, please contact Sister Lisa Rose at lrose@csbsju.edu.

Lisa Rose, OSB