Oprah got it right…almost

If you tuned in to Oprah on Tuesday (or you DVRed it like me), I hope you were inspired by what you saw.  The Dominican Sisters were featured during Oprah’s hour-long look into “secret lives.”  After enduring the first 20 minutes of whatever the heck she covered first, we were introduced to some amazing women.

Scott and I first met them this August.  He gave them a big Texas welcome at the airport and the kids and I met them at the convent.  I found it interesting that Lisa Ling noticed the same thing just about every other person notices when you’re in their presence – JOY.

I loved how the Sisters really explained why they felt called to religious life even though their lifestyle is completely counter-cultural.  But yet.  They are joyful.  They are liberated.  They are fulfilled.

The one thing – and I knew it would come up, but still – that drove me nuts was the obsession about their vow of chastity.  You know, Scott and I talked about that very thing about a year ago when we spoke to youth at our diocese’s annual youth conference.

A vow of chastity is something we all take.  As married folks, we vow to live in a monogamous relationship with our spouse.  A chaste life is a beautiful thing.  And the discussion on Tuesday’s show reminded me that some of my most intimate moments with Scott went beyond the physical.

There was that moment in an ice cream parlor in Hot Springs, Arkansas, with all the kids happily lapping up lactose that I looked across the table and felt “connected” to Scott.  Best family vacation ever.

There was the embrace we shared in our kitchen when we learned we had lost our second baby to miscarriage.

There was the moment we shared, praying, in front of the Blessed Sacrament at Dell Children’s just as Luke entered his first surgery at 10 days old.

There was the euphoria as we emceed “Destination Jesus” with 750 youth assembled in a gym – all praising God – and I knew I married a man of God.

There was the thankfulness as we stood at the wedding altar and professed our wedding vows in 1996.

There have been many a conversation on our maroon couches about life, love and dreams.

All those went beyond my physical attraction for Scott.  If you can show me a marriage that is sustained on physical intimacy alone, I will call you a liar.  We have a desire to be connected in so many ways – and it came as no surprise that the Sisters share that connectedness through prayer and community. 

It’s my sincere prayer that some young girl watching that show on Tuesday is inspired to religious life.  And that her family and friends will be supportive of that decision.

Hip, hip, hooray for some great role models for my children, namely Anna-Laura and Clare, and a mom named Kathryn 🙂