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eclecticstarlightconnoisseur · 1 year

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NOT THE MEEK AND OBEDIENT TYPE

I am sorry I have been absent for so long. The reasons are multiple none of which are any good. The majority of these reasons are health-related. And to be honest, the issues still persist. These require hospitalizations, surgery, procedures, and a broken knee for both my husband and myself. But I am still here.

The reason I am posting this is that it has been sitting in a file on my laptop for a long time along with many other partially written stories including Part 2 of Edinburgh to Boston. I thought I would like to put them out there even if they are not done hoping this would give me an incentive to finally finish them.

Now as to the story itself. I thought about all the other professions, jobs, and careers that we have seen Claire in but I have never seen Claire in this one. She is truly an innocent.

Let me know what you think and if should I continue the story. I am interested in hearing your opinion. Here goes nothing.

Thanks.

NOT THE MEEK AND OBEDIENT TYPE

Chapter 1

What do you do about a girl named Claire?

Eighteen-year-old postulant Claire Elizabeth once again found herself in trouble. This time for breaking the rule of silence during None the mid-afternoon prayer. Not only did she break the silence, but she had the gall and audacity to laugh disrupting everyone else’s prayers. Instead of praying, she spent the time looking out the window watching the antics of two red squirrels chasing each other as they engaged in a mock battle for scraps of bread she left for them.

The Abbess, Mother Hildegarde, most definitely was not amused. Her hand clasped around Claire’s arm removing her unceremoniously from the chapel ushering her into her study. Claire stood there with her head lowered, hiding her hands within the voluminous sleeves of her white tunic, the image of remorse. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to make herself presentable and knew she would be chastised for her appearance as well. Her short blue and white wimple hung askew and her hair peeked out. Dirt and plant matter smeared her face while mud caked her blue apron.

Claire had spent the day in the medicinal herb garden. She loved working with the plants, tending them, seeing them grow, and knowing they could help the sick. Getting her fingers dirty in the black loamy soil gave her a sense of peace, contentment, and accomplishment. Time always passed by quickly as she toiled among her beloved herbs and left her without time to clean up before prayer. Which is why the young postulant ended up standing in front of the Abbess in a filthy habit.

“Claire, mon chéri, what am I to do with you?” Mother huffed in a fit of exasperation. “You are bright, energetic, and eager to learn. But,” Mother said with emphasis, “You are also undisciplined, stubborn, and independent which invariably leads you astray. While the last three will not prevent you from taking your final vows someday, you must temper your impulses for the greater good of the community and to do the will of God.” Mother Hildegard rose to her full and impressive height for a woman, “It pains me greatly to do this, but you must learn obedience and self-control.” She rubbed her hand across her forehead as if to soothe a headache. “Therefore, your penance is to scrub the chapel floor. I want you to consider if you are truly meant for this vocation as you are doing that. Now, shoo, I am meeting someone who is selling some goats and sheep.”

“Yes, Mother. I will do as you ask. Thank you, Mother.”

Claire turned and moved noiselessly toward the door, relieved she avoided chastisement about her appearance. Just as she was about to escape the room, Mother Hildegarde called out to her, “And Claire, you do not come to chapel looking like you were rolling in the pigsty. Next time, wash your face, fix your hair and your wimple, and put on a clean apron if you please.”

“Yes, Mother,” Claire sighed with a sense of relief at finally being dismissed. She quietly closed the door behind her and ran down the corridor as if the devil himself was chasing her.

None: There are seven liturgical “hours” are matins and lauds (usually counted as a single hour), in the middle of the night; prime, at sunrise; terce, 9 a.m.; sext, noon; none, 3 p.m.; vespers, sunset; and compline, bedtime.

The purpose of these hours is for daily prayer of the Church, marking the hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer. The Hours are a meditative dialogue on the mystery of Christ, using scripture and prayer.

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