Women of Strength

On December 3rd of each year, I'm reminded of my grandmother whose birthday it was. She was born in 1919 and would have turned 94 today. As it was, she still marveled at having lived to date a check with the year 2000. The daughter of immigrants from French Canada and the Isle of Mann, it was from this woman that the Catholic faith entered my family, and she was the only person in my life as an adolescent who highly valued attending the Mass. Grandma Dorothy ("Dot") always wanted a priest in the family, but she lived long enough to see me accepted as a seminarian, and I think she'd be happy with how things turned out. 

As an Army nurse, Lt Dorothy Cole tended wounds (and VD) on a hospital ship in the Pacific theatre of World War II. Though her ship (the USS Hope) was later sunk by the Japanese Navy (despite being painted white with a red cross), Dot had already been discharged honorably from her service. She inspired my grandfather to convert from the Church of Latter-Day Saints as a wedding present to her, and they raised six children in the Faith together (four boys and two girls). 

Dot lived for 81 and a half years, the last fifteen in a wheelchair, dying just two weeks after my high school graduation (2001). It wasn't until long after her death that I realized how much I owe to this strong woman. She was a gift from God in my life, and I ask you all to offer thanksgiving with me for great women of strength as we continue to enter into this Advent season. It was after all through a woman of outstanding strength and faith that God entered personally into the world of man.

Thank you all for reading.