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The Seven Loves of the Reverend Mother
Mother
The young ten-year old girl ran through the narrow streets, her long plaits streaming out behind her. She knew she had to hurry home, there was no time to spare.
Entering their small home, the rooms were dark, matching the mood of the day. She made her way down the hallway through to her mother's room. The doctor stood at the bedside and beckoned her over.
"Only stay a few minutes Hilda, she's very weak and needs rest," the doctor told her.
Hilda knelt down beside her mother, the sight before her eyes breaking her heart. Her mother, once so full of life was stick thin, frail and close to death. As she picked up her hand, her mother opened her eyes and gave the girl a weak smile.
"Hilda, you're here!" her mother gasped faintly.
"Yes, Mother, I came from school as quickly as I could," Hilda replied giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you darling. Even though my time to go is near, please remember that I love you."
"I know Mother, and I love you too," Hilda told her, a tear already forming in her eye.
"Please do this one last thing for me…" her mother's request pulled at Hilda's heartstrings. "Sing it again for me, one last time…"
"Of course Mother. Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens…" Hilda began to sing their favourite song softly to her mother. The old woman gave her daughter a smile as she listened, but before long she closed her eyes and by the time the song was over, she had taken her final breath.
Hilda kissed her mother's hand and wordlessly said goodbye to her, as the mother she loved with all her heart was now gone.
Heindrick, Her One True Love
Hilda sat on the grass under her favourite tree, her legs stretched out in front of her, two pieces of paper resting on her lap. The first made her smile, the second made her cry. She picked up to the first letter to read it again.
My dearest, darling Hilda,
Words cannot express how happy you have made me by consenting to become my wife. I think of you every day, my dreams are filled with the memory of our kisses, and the softness of your body in my arms. I cannot wait until we are united as man and wife and we can start our new life together. I know the days are long and the wait is longer but I promise to return to you soon, to hold you in my arms again.
With all my love and affection, Heindrick.
With a tear in her eye, she returned the letter to her lap. With trembling hands she took the second piece of paper, a short telegram with the contents broke her heart. She read it again, knowing it would be the last time she would do so as her heart was crushed forever.
Fraulein Reiter STOP It is my painful duty to inform you of the death of Lieutenant Heindrick Maier of the Second Cavalry Regiment STOP Lt. Maier was killed instantly after being thrown from his horse during a training mission in Russia STOP With sympathy and condolences for your loss.
Mountains
It was the mountains, always the mountains that held her love. The way the mountains climbed right into the sky and how she wanted to climb and climb into the sky with them too. It was the lush green grass and the sky so blue that is seemed almost not to be real, like the colour a painter might paint in a picture. So beautiful and fragrant, she just had to be a part of it.
It was the crispy cool air high up in the hills that made her soul feel alive as she ran, the wind on her face. It was the freedom she felt, free from all the cares and worries of the world. It was the place that she could sing, and sing loud. It was the chirp of the mountain birds who would join her in their song.
It was the way she was reminded of the Lord and how, despite all the tragedy and grief in her life, He would always love and care for her: "I will lift up my eyes into the hills from whence cometh my help."
She loved the mountains, and everything they brought with it.
God
Through pain and heartache, Hilda had come to rely on the only constant in her life, the Lord her God.
After the death of her mother as a child then the death of her fiancé, Hilda found the family she never had when she joined the convent. A high-spirited girl, she had found the life of the Sisters a challenge and she longed to run through the meadows and explore the mountain passes like she did as a child. However, the comfort she got from the scriptures, the knowledge that she was saved through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ spurred her on. It kept her from drowning in the sorrow of her early life, the life that was plagued by sadness and death. It gave her comfort when she thought there was no comfort left.
Everyday she read her Bible and prayed. She tried hard and was learning more every day. While once upon a time she wouldn't have thought the life of a nun would be for her as she'd dreamt of having a husband and a family, she did find the simple life satisfying to a certain degree.
As she grew older, she became a source of comfort and wisdom to the younger nuns until finally she became the Reverend Mother of Nonnberg Abbey. She was contented with her choices in life and looked forward to one day being able to meet her maker, be rewarded for her discipleship and live forever with Jesus Christ in heaven.
Sister Berthe
Out of all the Sisters at Nonnberg Abbey, by far her favourite was Sister Berthe. The Reverend Mother was not supposed to have favourites but she couldn't help it. There was something about Sister Berthe that kept her amused constantly.
The way she held herself, the humble way she put herself last before all others, the cutting way she spat out sarcastic remarks, the grimace of displeasure that came across her face from time to time, her famous chocolate cake which was to die for, her hidden talents when it came to car mechanics, and of course the way she made the young postulants kiss the floor after ever argument.
The Reverend Mother knew that despite her harsh exterior, Sister Berthe had a heart of gold. She cared deeply for all and would do anything for anyone. She was the rock that held her in place; she didn't know what she would do without Sister Berthe. Sister Berthe was a gem.
Chocolate fondue
The Reverend Mother had a secret. Something so secret that she didn't ever want the other Sisters at the Abbey to know about it.
The secret was her love of chocolate. And not just chocolate, but chocolate fondue to be specific. It was something that she had loved from her childhood and something that as a cloistered nun she thought that perhaps shouldn't love it so much, something that she shouldn't covert.
But she did.
It was an indulgence that she rarely partook of, but when she did… oh it was so good. She's retreat into her office with the steaming pot of molten chocolate and her bowl of fresh strawberries and other fruit. Being careful not to burn her tongue, she'd dip the fruit into the liquid gold and then pop the delight into her mouth and savour the flavor of the combination.
She'd continue this ritual again and again until all the food was gone and then reluctantly, she'd return the dishes to the kitchen and hold off from getting seconds, despite the temptation to go and do it all again.
It was the little bit of luxury she ever spoilt herself with and something she loved completely.
Her little secret.
Maria
How do you solve a problem like Maria? It was a question that the Reverend Mother asked herself constantly since the young woman had come to the Abbey to be a postulant. The Reverend Mother could see so much of herself in the young lady, the way she longed for the outdoors, the way she sang at every opportunity – well, she knew that no matter how many times she needed to be cross with Maria for breaking the Abbey rules, she could not.
Only that morning Sister Margaretta and Sister Berthe had come to her complaining about Maria. The Reverend Mother knew in her heart that the Abbey was not the place for the young lady and it was a divine work of God, she felt, that the letter had come from Captain von Trapp requesting a governess for the summer.
The Reverend Mother knew that the position would be perfect for Maria and would give her the opportunity to look for her life and decide whether the nunnery was really the place for her.
Only a month later, the Reverend Mother was distressed when Maria came fleeing back to the convent in the middle of the night. She had no idea what had happened to the girl, but she knew how much she loved her and how much she wanted to help her. Discovering the love that Maria had for the Captain was a surprise to say the least, however she remembered the love she once had for her fiancé Heindrick and she knew that Maria needed to be with the man who had captured her heart.
Finally, one of the happiest days of her life was when she was able to send Maria off to wed the famous naval Captain. The long flowing gown of ivory adorned her slim body as Maria walked down the long aisle of the Abbey. From her place behind the gate, which kept her cloistered from the outside world, the Reverend Mother smiled a wide smile as the young lady to whom she regarded as close to a daughter as she would ever have, married the love of her life.