Day 9: Shoeless

Me and my feet, we love going without shoes. So today, when I saw the sun shining, I just couldn't resist going barefoot into the garden. It was simply wonderful. Although I think I might have puzzled a few construction workers. They were really staring, as if they had never seen anyone without shoes before. A nun is just a person, after all.

Sometimes I think it's a real shame how normal monastic life becomes once you're living it. If you only catch a brief glimpse of it, or see a nun or monk somewhere, you immediately feel a sense of reverence. Somehow, it feels very special. But when you live in a monastery and are surrounded by nuns day in and day out, the extraordinariness fades. That's why I’m always glad when it hits me again and I realize I'm living in a monastery. When the sisters file into the refectory (the dining hall in the monastery) in pairs before me, or when I see the sunlight sparkling on the fountain in the cloister garden, I’m reminded once again that this is a special life. A life that, in my opinion, is especially beautiful.

After wandering through the various corners of the garden, I lay down in the grass and enjoyed the sunshine on my face. You could almost believe it was the middle of summer.

But when I briefly wanted to give my feet some freedom during Vespers and placed them beside my shoes, I immediately got a scolding from the side: "Keep your shoes on!"

Well, I guess I have to live with that. When I was still a candidate, my skirts were long enough to touch the ground, and no one could see when I was getting a little fresh air for my feet, but now that I’m wearing the habit, that’s no longer possible. But I'd rather have hot feet than no habit at all!