I found out this week that one of the most important women that helped form my life passed from this life into the next. My Sweet Sister Rose Gentile, who formed my way of thinking about many things, my high school teacher of Sociology and the world at large, has died.
She was about 93-94 years young and had suffered for many years with cancer - notice I dont even give that thing a capital letter!!
She had to be one of the most robust people I have ever known. When I was Senior in high school at Longwood Academy in Chicago, she opened up a world to me of thinking and seeing the world in a different light - a different perspective, so to speak. I grew up during the turbulent 70's - we were hippies and Black Panthers,etc. and the world as we knew it was changing day by day. I attended an all girl Catholic high school, and we were gonna change the freakin' world!!!
Rose had a way of telling a story with verve and excitement - I could hardly wait to grow up and tackle the world outside of those cloistered walls!
She was from an old Italian family and Man, did she have - for a lack of another word - BALLS!!! I always would ask her why she never married and never had a pack of youngin's running around. She would've made a helluva Mom!! I guess in lots of ways she WAS a Mom!
Once, we went to a debate at Northern University in Dekalb, Illinois, and she asked us if anyone had a cigarette? A NUN ASKING US FOR SMOKES???? OMG!AND SHE DRANK A LITTLE BIT, TOO! "Nothing like a little Vino" she would say followed by that hearty laugh she had!WHAT A WOMAN!
Those days are long gone now, but her legacy of teaching young women to grow up, grow out and be the best you could possibly be will forever live in my memory!
We kept in touch over the years especially at Christmas when the famous ROSE CHRISTMAS LETTER would arrive enclosed in a cute card with the baby Jesus on the front. Her tales of what was going on with her in Chicago were infamous. Christmas just wasn't the same until I got her famous notes of Holiday cheer and good will for the new year.
NOW, SHE'S GONE. My heart is simply broken and my eyes feel the steam of tears that one sheds for a lost loved one.
I know that she has truly earned her reward for serving the Lord for almost her entire life. And for putting up with hundreds and hundreds of pubescent young women - THE LONGWOOD LADIES as we were called - she deserves and has earned sweet peace.
I will never - EVER - forget you, Sweet Rose.
You left your mark on my life for over 40 years and I will always try to be the Lady you taught us to be - Forever a LONGWOOD LADY!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment