By Kaitlin Klein
Wonderful Adventure
My great aunt, Benedictine Sister Sylvia Gehlhausen, passed away recently at the age of 97. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, Indiana, at the age of 16, spending an incredible 81 years at the monastery, teaching hundreds of children and filling roles at the monastery in hospitality for guests and chaplains. She’s been on my mind each day, and I’ve been reflecting on her life and the many lessons she shared with me, verbally and simply through her example, optimism, and the way she lived her life and treated others.
Sister Sylvia’s life exhibits the essence of the quote which inspired the title of this column: “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure” (Saint John Paul II). From walks in nature to laughing with family, friends, and strangers; to riding her first rollercoaster at age 71; and, years later, a motorcycle, she found adventure every day; saw God in those experiences; thanked Him; and used her simple enjoyment of life to draw closer to Life Himself.
One lesson I am trying to live each day is to see Christ present in every person. It was obvious Sister Sylvia did that. Whether in a group, or meeting with her individually, she somehow made people feel loved and valued – by her and by the Lord. No one was a stranger to her. She really didn’t care a person’s past or present or differences, but saw them as God sees them, a beloved child of the Creator. She truly cared about the souls of those she interacted with, and the light of Christ shone through her. This is further exhibited by her astounding memory of her students. Despite teaching 42 years in elementary school, she remembered each of her students, what school she taught him or her (she taught in 10 different schools!), and what year. Often, she knew something about the child and where his seat was located in the classroom. I was always impressed by her memory, a beautiful gift. It was important for her to remember these details because the children were so important to her.
The foundation for Sister’s long and full life was her closeness to the Lord. She told me many times to keep the presence of God close each day. Although she was a consecrated religious and her life revolved around her prayer, we can learn from her simple example in any vocation and situation. Three main lessons Sister Sylvia taught throughout her life stick out to me: treat others as Jesus did; pray continually, abiding in the presence of God, wherever you may be; and, one of her mottos, FROG—fully rely on God. I am forever grateful to my Aunt Sister Sylvia, who continues to impact me (and others, I’m sure) today.