Namesake

The weekend before last we visited my lovely alma mater. It was dreary outside, but Providence was at work - because lots of people that I really wanted to expose the Zerker to were there....


The E in Zerker comes from a very special person.
One of those people you meet and you are blown away.

When I was a wee one of 18 I visited SMWC. The first teacher I met, the first Sister of Providence I met, the first real person of my beloved college was Ellen.

And over the next four years we formed a wonderful bond.

She became my academic advisor, professor, work study supervisor, and most importantly, friend. You know when you go through that phase and you don't connect with your parents anymore? She was the one mentor I connected to then that I knew woud love me no matter what. I feel like I learned about unconditional love from her.

And through the years we have maintained that friendship.
Of course, we don't have the time to sit in her office and wax poetically about my latest college girl frustration, we do keep in touch. She was my 'Sister Companion' on my journey to become a Providence Associate.

I cannot express how much it means to me that she has made herself so available to me on this journey. She is the definition of why you designate a namesake.

(oh and this summer...she celebrates her Golden Jubilee...50 years devoted to Providence...amazing....)