The stripping of shelf

In my continued effort not to leave too much detritus for my heirs to trash, yesterday I resumed my attack on my book shelves, and  tackled my three bibles, one hymn book, and four volumes of the Divine Office which I took with me when I left the convent.  That they have travelled through six homes and three continents is not an indicator of their use for the last 50 years or so.  It always just seemed easier to pack them than to decide what to do with them.

We have a copy of the King James translation of the bible which is so incredibly beautiful it’s almost possible to turn me back into a True Believer.  In the rare times when I would like to consult the bible, the King James is my choice.  So my Jerusalem, the Knox,  and the Standard translations are going to Oxfam.  Perhaps they will spend their last days in a hotel drawer.

Before engaging in this generous donation, though, I thought it best to remove the holy cards which I’d collected as book marks during my Maryknoll years.  Reading them I was a little embarrassed by the intensity and naiveté of most of us during that time.  Oh how seriously we took ourselves, how utterly sincere we were.  And in fairness, how dedicated.

But the holy card I love best and that did not join the other missives in the trash came from my irreverent little sister.

“The stripping of self leads to plenty”

On the front is a quote from G. Thibon who Wikipedia says was a French philosopher-farmer who died at the age of 98 about ten years ago.  On the back is my sister’s cheeky note:  “Since you won’t be wearing it anymore, can I have your blue skirt?”