katherinewansink

Losing My Religion

I was born into a Catholic family. We went to the local church every Sunday and sometimes during the week. We didn’t go to Catholic school because of the horridness of the first year teacher at our local Catholic primary school. So it wasn’t ’til we started homeschooling that we learnt in a methodical mannerContinue reading “Losing My Religion”

Approximately Eight Rules from an Old Soldier

In my last post I touched on the discernment of spirits which is an idea I met on an Ignatian retreat. All a bit greek to some perhaps. There once was a dressy Spanish soldier called Ignatius (1491-1556). He took a cannonball to the leg during a battle and was laid up for an extraContinue reading “Approximately Eight Rules from an Old Soldier”

Why I Left the Convent

I had been in the convent for five years. At various points I had wanted to or at least thought about leaving. At one point I had even decided to leave but was encouraged to stay. At this point I knew it was a decision I would have to make myself. I was not goingContinue reading “Why I Left the Convent”

The Battle of the Wardrobe

Clothing has an impact. What we wear has an impact on how we act. As a teenager I decided to stop wearing trousers because I felt a negative impact on my attitude when wearing them. As a nun, the habit I wore made it easier to behave in a more dignified manner. When I putContinue reading “The Battle of the Wardrobe”

Difficult Personality

I go through phases. I sometimes have a recurrence of the interest in MBTI personalities phase. It took me several attempts to finally settle on which of the sixteen I fit into. It made me feel rather hopeless. Like I am stuck with this personality, especially rare among women, which means that while I haveContinue reading “Difficult Personality”

Mistakes: Make them like you Mean them

I recently started a diploma course in Civil Engineering and have noticed that many of my fellow students lack the confidence or vocal ability to make themselves heard by the lecturers. With my classroom, mathematical and singing experience this is no longer a problem for me. It reminds me of one of Mr McConnell’s favouriteContinue reading “Mistakes: Make them like you Mean them”

Elinor or Marianne?

One of my favourite questions to ask someone when I find they are also a reader of Jane Austen is ‘Elinor or Marianne?’ Perhaps because I am not 100 percent sure whom I associate myself with anymore and so find it an interesting question to discuss. When reading a book I often associate myself withContinue reading “Elinor or Marianne?”

Driver’s Licence

I have passed my thirtieth birthday and I don’t yet have my driver’s licence. With a few changes I have finally managed, with much help and support, to get into a path that will make me a licensed driver in the not too distant future. The prospect makes me reflect on the difficulties of notContinue reading “Driver’s Licence”

Sister Hilary RSM

When I hit my teens, I suddenly needed to make music. I started by teaching myself the recorder. And by recorder I mean that, most commonly plastic, distant cousin of the flute in case there was any confusion. My brother and I played duets, which helped raise the recorder to musical heights, and I usedContinue reading “Sister Hilary RSM”

My Return to Reading (Long May it Last)

As I have written before, in my childhood I read books the way a chain smoker smokes cigarettes as my mother recently expressed it. This dropped off to almost nothing during my one year of on-campus university. Then during my time in a convent I read at least 15 mins every day which gets oneContinue reading “My Return to Reading (Long May it Last)”