Celebrating the Human Spirit Radio Spot

Sister Helen Lange, a Benedictine nun and my junior high school principal, just celebrated her 90th birthday. Music and teaching have always been her love. Whether leading 7th graders in singing the requiem Mass in Latin or teaching us the lyrics for a child's musical, Cowboy on the Moon, I remember her energy and enthusiasm for life.

All of this makes her last letter to me both sad and inspirational. Her writing has become large and sloppy-the results of macular degeneration. She can't see sheet music any more and must depend on other nuns to read everything. She's now been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and emphysema. That's the sad part.

The inspiration: she enclosed a photo of herself wearing a purple dress and an enormous red hat. I swear I could hear a giggle. She writes about the fun she has being seen in such attire. She writes about some of her young colleagues who seem to wake up in the morning in a bad humor. She tells them to lighten up or she'll come back and haunt them. And they break down and laugh.

Here was the line that lifted my heart. "Bringing laughter shall be my fourth career."

Her FOURTH CAREER! Even at 90, Sister Helen Lange has found a way to contribute to the world. Her engagement with life, her curiosity to experience what is new and to constantly serve others is a model of a human spirit that is a work of art.

Now that's worth celebrating.

This is Eileen McDargh, for WRMN 1410, wishing Sister Helen at St. Leo's in Florida a belated "Happy Birthday".

You can hear the segments live at www.1410.com by going on line and listening at 7:50 am CST every Friday.

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