On September 16, 2024 I am completing my 80th “free trip” around the sun. In other words, I’m celebrating my 80th birthday. At noon. (Mom always said I arrived just in time for lunch!) This significant birthday fills me with awe and gratitude. It also makes me wonder, “How did I get so old–so fast?” I don’t feel 80 years old. In fact, I sometimes feel like an 18-year-old girl inside. On really good days, I feel like a 6-year old kid!
I wanted to do something special for my blog today. But, believe it or not, I find myself at a loss for words. Not all words, of course. But most. So today I’m filling my blog mostly with pictures with a few words interspersed. Remember, whatever your age, it is the age God chose for you. May these “historic” photos, cause you to pause and reflect on the gift of your own life, a life that I hope fills you with awe and gratitude too!
This is a picture of the big yellow farm house on White Road where I lived until the day I left for the convent in 1962. I had met the Sisters of Notre Dame at Regina High School (now closed… another loss…) I admired them as teachers, but I was attracted by their comaraderie and joy. Eventually, I felt God was “calling me” to join them. In the picture above, notice the pretty trees in bloom: apple, cherry, and pink dogwood. In 1980 our home and the entire farm was taken by the expanding Cuyahoga County Airport under the law of eminent domain. They burned down the house, tore down the other buildings and trees, and converted the property into part of a golf course. This experience was a real heartache for our family. I wrote an article about this event which ended with these words: “Nothing lasts forever–except love, maybe? Yes, except love!”
The top left picture shows the other young women I received the religious habit with in January 1963. That’s when I was given the name Sister Melannie. (I’m in the first row, third from the right.) The other top picture (taken in 1999) shows the six Sisters in my vow group: Sisters Marilyn Sabatino, Mary Jo Ludwig, myself, Sally Huston, Joanne Keppler, and Pat Teckman. Our group also “adopted” Sister Donna Gonda. These six sisters are very dear to me. The bottom left picture is me mowing the grass at Notre Dame College (now closed… another great loss…) The maintentance men mowed the wide expanse of lawns around the college with a big tractor, but I sometimes mowed the grass close to the building to help cut costs–and I enjoyed it too! In every place I served, we Sisters and lay men and women were always trying to cut costs. The last picture shows me meeting Pope John Paul II in Rome in 2004. It may look as if the Pope and I were good friends, but our actual meeting (where he handed me a rosary) lasted about 2.3 seconds… Still it was a memorable few seconds for me!
So much of my life has been spent in education–in the formal classroom for about 22 years as well as in parishes, retreat centers, novitiates, motherhouses, and through the written word. Here is a picture that is a symbol of my years in high school education. It is the graduating class of 1978 from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, NC. Back then, the school enrollment was 217 students. Today, at the “new” Cardinal Gibbons, it is about 1500. I am standing on the left and the principal Sister St. Colette (now Joanne) Miller is on the right. Kathy Alanso, a lay teacher and single mom, is behind me. She’s just one of the beautiful people I was privileged to minister beside. We sisters wore white habits during the hot Raleigh weather. We had practiced our outdoor graduation for days, but as you can see in this photo (taken right before the carefully planned outdoor ceremony), black clouds loomed on the horizon. Within minutes after this picture was taken, the heavens opened and the rains came pouring down. Each graduate, faculty member, and guest grabbed a folding chair from the lawn and ran “like heck” into the gym–where (believe it or not) we regrouped and had a very nice graduation ceremony–despite the momentary chaos! Whoever said that life was going to go as you plan OR that education was easy?!
The final picture is very contemporary. It was taken June 30, 2024 at the Mass in our chapel celebrating the jubilees of twenty-five Chardon Sisters. Sister Megan Dull is the photographer. It is only fitting that I include a picture of this sacred place, our chapel, filled with Sisters, families, and friends, giving thanks to our Beloved God for a lifetime of blessings.
Let me conclude this reflection with this little prayer:
Beloved Creating God… source of all love, goodness, beauty, and truth… I thank you for the gift of my “one wild and precious life.” … I thank you for my entire life… for the ups and downs… fun times and heartaches… for gains and losses… for the answers and (more importantly) for the many questions I still carry in my heart… for times of peace and times of restlessness. Most of all, I thank you, O Great Choreographer, for all those special individuals you incorporated into my little dance of life–often just when I needed them… Beloved One, I entrust my past and my future into your loving hands until my final birthing– my final homecoming–into the fullness of Life forever. Thank you, thank you!
With all my heart, Me
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- “one wild and precious life” is from “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
- I apologize that some of my pictures are not very clear. I’m still learning the technology involved in posting a blog…
Did anything stand out for you in today’s reflection?
What are some of the joys, heartaches, and surprises of your own “wild and precious life”?
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PS #1: Thank you for your prayers for the retreat I gave last week for the Sisters of Loretto in Nerinx, Kentucky. I want to thank especially Sisters Mary, Liz, and Cathy for showing me around and for helping to facilitate the retreat. I really enjoyed my golf cart ride checking out their 700 acre farm, the tour Sister Eleanor gave me of their Heritage Center (one of the best ones I’ve ever seen!), and meeting so many wonderful Sisters, Co-members, and employees and staff! The whole week was a real blessing for me!
PS #2: IT is looking into why my blog was NOT sent out to you last week–even though it was posted.If that happens again, just search for my blog using my name and/or “Sunflower Seeds blog” and you’ll find it easily. Thank you!
I chose one of my favorite prayers for our video today, Pslam 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd.” This is Stuart Townend’s version. On our farm we had a few acres of woods in the back of our property. There was a stream that flowed toward the west, eventually emptying into Lake Erie. We kids loved to explore back there. Though the stream in this video is much wider than ours was, it does remind me of that special place in my childhood.
I invite your comments below:
27 Responses
Good morning, birthday girl!
Good morning, all!
Wow! This is a day you should be receiving gifts, but in fact it is YOU who gift us every Monday with your insights into life, with your book recommendations, with your thoughtful and inspiring videos, with your “wink, wink” wit, with your vulnerability, and, finally, with your deep faith in God. Happy birthday, Dolly! May this day — the feast of your nativity! — be a day full of love!
Happy birthday Sr. Melanie! I concur with what John said so beautifully. YOU are a gift to us! May the coming year be filled with all of Gods greatest blessings for you!
Ditto…
And Amen….
God bless and thank God for you being in my life trough your blessed blog!
HAPPY 80th year around the sun!
Happy Birthday, Sr. Melannie!
I also agree with John. You and your insightful blog are a gift to me every Monday morning.
May God bless you today and everyday!
and every day! 😊
I agree with my sister-in-law mary cluley who introduced me to your blog years ago. It has been a gift to me every Monday and I look forward to it. HAPPY 80th birthday Sr. Melanie. You truly are a gift to each who know you or read your blog.
Mary Ann Cluley
Happy birthday! Have a blessed day. I also read hour blog everyday. Hugs!
Birthday blessings to you, dear Sr. Melanie! I should have passed on my front license plate to you:”Aged to Perfection”, because no matter what age you are, 70, 75, or 80, it is the perfect age to be. If you weren’t whatever age you are then you wouldn’t be HERE to continue to be a gift to others. Your family and friends would miss you. Hope you do something special to celebrate this new decade of your life. Your new friend, Sr. Liz at Loretto
Sr. Melanie, wishing you a very Blessed 80th Birthday!
My sister and I were privileged to meet and have breakfast with you a few years ago when you gave a presentation at a women’s conference in Springfield MA.
We have been reading your blog since then. Thank you, Dianne
Happy Birthday. Thank you for sharing your life with us. I love the childhood photos of you. I saw the divine spark in your eyes! Your blog has been a great blessing to me. I kept wondering what was missing the last couple of weeks and I finally realized it was your blog. So glad to be back!
Happy Birthday! Hope you are having a relaxing day!
Just FYI- this is the second week in a row I had to go searching for your blog!!!!
But always worth it of course!
🎊🎂🎈
Your life has blessed so many. I am grateful I’ve had the privilege of sharing our religious life together.
Happy 80th birthday! Thank you for sharing your pictures and life story. I always enjoy your blog. May God bless you with many years of peace, joy and good health!
Happy, happy 80th birthday, Sr. Melannie! It was nice that you shared yourself with us on your birthday. I just love looking at old pictures of the blessings our good God had given us. Thank you for another thought provoking Monday!
Wishing you a blessed birthday week!
Thank you for all of your words of wisdom.
Sr Melanie, (Ron Swoboda cousin NYM)
It is hard to believe that you are eighty. Seems like yesterday I was at CG sitting in your english class learning how to make a script for a movie, writing a book report, or learning public speaking.
You are a blessing to me. One of Gods many beautiful flowers. I thank the Lord daily for Him placing you in my life. You mean the world to me. You enjoy your special day. A milestone day!! I just think about the last time I saw you. I still feel that hug!!! Again Happy Birthday Love you much!!
Happy Birthday Sr Melanie!!!
Thank you for your blog. The pictures are great. Brings back memories of my growing up.
I must have been inspired to search for your blog because I realized I hadn’t received one yesterday.
Once again Happy Birthday and many blessings for all the blessings you have brought to others including myself.
Dear Sister Melannie,
Doesn’t it simply tickle you when Birthday wishes continue beyond your birthday? Rather than celebrate just one day, instead celebrate a full birthday week filled with God’s blessings and all He knows will be Good for you.
Happy Birthday Sister. What a gift you are to all of us. You are my favorite blog.
My 80th birthday is September 20th.
I’m right behind you! We have both been blessed with our faith & great parents.
My only wish for mine, is to be with my whole family & visit.
It made me sad about your house being taken down. That had to be devastating .
Thanks again… many happy days ahead.
Happy birthday, Sr. Melanie. I hope this next year is a wonderful one. I so enjoy your blog-every one of them makes me smile and learn something.
Every Monday I look forward to your posting and I haven’t been receiving the posts lately. The last few Mondays I’ve felt a little lost and when I took the time to figure what the problem was, I realized I was missing your posts! It’s amazing how we rely on technology and the hold it has on us.
Thank you for your posts.
Dearest Sister Melannie:
I am a year ahead of you at 81! As I looked at your pictures that could have been my family. There is something so nostalgic about the 60s photos. Those were wonderful days! I pray your birthday was blessed. You bless us each week with your wonderful posts, prayers, pictures and all you send. I too have not received your post for 2 weeks, but I know where to find you!! Many blessings and I pray your year will bring you good health and happiness.
Happy Belated Birthday Sr Melannie!
It was a treat to read a bit about your family and vocation path.
Giddy up & God Bless!
Sr. Melannie, welcome to the 80’s. Hope you enjoy your 80th year around the sun.
Blessings and good wishes for a very Happy Birthday.
Sr. Pat Newhouse, SC
Happy belated birthday! I would have never guessed “80”! You are a blessing to so many of us….take care.
Dear Sister Melannie, Wishing you a very Happy Belated Birthday! Reading this blog had me holding my mother close to my heart and I wanted to share what your words meant to my mother and I over the last 20+ years. During weekly, small group prayer meetings, our leader read from “Abundant Treasures”. It touched all our lives. My mother enjoyed it so much that I searched high and low until I found her a copy. Since then, she received most every book written as gifts for Mother Day, birthdays, Christmas. As her health deteriorated and she became bedbound, your words lifted her spirits daily. After her prayers were said, she’d reach for one of your books. She was always in awe in the reflection she read that day correlated to that days Scripture reading. She’d look up and say how awesome God is!!
When loss hit the family over and over again, she would mention something in one of your books. She found such comfort and later enjoyed sharing your “Sunflower Seeds” will all who visited her. Though she was called home a year ago, I still hear her telling me of the reflections or giggling at things written, and always having a smile on her face. I now have those books and am sharing them with my daughters and even my grandbabies. God Bless You Sister for your commitment to serve our Lord, for your wonderful wit and inspiration you share with others, and for bring such joy to my mother. Thank you so much and again, Happy Birthday!!
May God bless you in your new decade of life! I’m grateful for the gift you are and have been to me and my family!
Happy Birthday sister from Cape Town, South Africa. Look forward to your posts. I have many happy memories from my schooling at Notre Dame Constantia Cape Town.