I am reading a book and I wanted to quote part of it and your opinion on it. Let me set up the scene…its a retired nun talking to a former student, who is now 39 years old, and a surrogate mother carrying a child for a rich family. The student comes to see the ex nun for advice and to talk to her, she has no one else.
“I had an abortion ten years ago and never came to see you again because I could not have stood your condemnation”
“You did the right thing. Ten years ago, I might have condemned you. Not now, Ive seen too much of the world. I wouldn’t condemn any woman for not bringing a child into it.”
“How can you say that? Dont you believe that all life is sacred?”
“Life is sacred. Too sacred to be distributed so arbitrarily. Ive seen too much, Trudy. Ive seen babies born without enough wit to suck a tit because their mothers had nothing to eat except tortillas de pobres, poor peoples tortillas. You know what the second ingredient is after corn? Sand. You don’t have to go that far south of the border to see women, their teeth ground down to nubs from eating tortillas stretched with sand. No, the greater crime is imprisoning a spirit in a broken body. A broken life.”
Thoughts on this?
trisha
Wow… Strong words.
An ex-nun you can say. My mother is an ex-nun, and to focus negatively on them would be a judgemental thing to do, and if it’s being done by someone who follows the same faith, perhaps they should reconsider their faith.
I like the words alot. It says alot of things without being cruel to the person. Everyone has their path, and no one is “allowed” to judge them than their “maker”. There is alot of saddness in the world and more put upon children who were never given a choice. Yes, they can grow up and “change their stars” however, it never fully heals the wound of those developmental years.
It is beautifully said, I think my favorite part is: ….the greater crime is imprisoning a spirit in a broken body.
It’s so true, we have all seen those people out there who are imprisoned in such a way. Thanks for sharing Trisha, I appreciate you putting such a strong poetic verse from a book and sharing it with us.
Thanks for your answer..im sure it struck a nerve. I thought it was really an interesting portion of the book.
I say ex..but I mean retired? I dont know..she lives in the convent w/ other nuns but is no larger practicing? Its not really the focus of the book, so im guessing here. LOL
Poetic sentiment in a book but horrible theology, especially for a nun. Maybe that’s why she’s an ex.