By Sister Catherine (Missy) Gugerty, SSND
In 1984, I entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the then Baltimore Province.
As a postulant/newbie, I was privileged to live with a very committed, wonderful, talented group of women.
Among them was Sister Ruth Marie May, a former provincial of the Baltimore Province. We had many wonderful conversations, full of pearls of wisdom.
Among them was this statement: “It’s the seemingly small, but not so small things that REALLY matter.”
I had always believed that, but her clarity and succinctness made me take that to heart and has stuck with me to this day.
And so, within that context, how do I put hope into action daily?
I write lots of notes - handwritten, text, email and FaceBook comments to thank, support, encourage and extend care to others.
I pick up bits of litter on the sidewalk, street, beach, nature paths to keep our environment beautiful.
I landscape my back yard to create a peaceful place for family and friends to gather.
I acknowledge and respond to persons on the street who are asking me for assistance to let them know that I really do see them.
I offer to take pictures of couples and whole families struggling to take a selfie so they can have a beautiful memory of that moment.
I thank those who are tidying up restaurant, airport and store bathrooms and those who collect our trash and recyclables to let them know they and the job they are doing is valued.
I try not to block intersections, I stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and I thank those who allow me to change lanes.
I allow the children in my neighborhood to lure me into a game of catch or hide & seek to remind me that even grownups need to play.
While each of these acts seem small, natural and generally somewhat insignificant to me, it is the smile or verbal repose of the recipient(s) that help remind me that it wasn’t at all small to them.
And in that or those moments, I believe, I hope, that I have put hope into action.
