Memorial Service:

Lord Carrington James Hughes-onslow

‘She’ll make your dull journey sparkle and introduce you to the importance of faith’

Four years ago, we had staying with us, here at the monastery, a charming and lively young woman who was wondering if she had a religious vocation. She brought a breath of fresh air into the house: always smiling and often laughing (rather loudly, for which she apologised but which we enjoyed as a tonic), obliging and very observant. It was a joy to have her here. She had and has that nicest of qualities: a sunny temperament.

Recreation is an important event in our day and takes place for an hour every evening; it can sometimes be very taxing. Our visitor told me, touchingly, that she had never found it a chore and that she could see that love was the key to its success. She was quite right, and it did me no harm to be reminded of this. At 6.45pm, one can feel tired and be snappy.

I asked her what her impressions of the monastery had been. She said that at first she felt as though she were running at high speed just to stay still: so much was unfamiliar that she had to concentrate on not getting in the way and being a nuisance, and so was going round the house glued to a little piece of paper – the typed timetable.

To her surprise, she found that, as the weeks went by, familiarity with the daily routine became liberating. She no longer had to check where she was meant to be and what she was supposed to be doing, and this was in marked contrast to her life outside, where she was inseparable from her diary with its multiple bookings. She said that her brother hated her diary and had threatened more than once to burn it. He couldn’t bear living in the same house as her and having to book in to see her.

Our visitor eventually went back to London, where she is now a qualified life coach, supporting ordinary people (not just eternal procrastinators) in need of emotional, intellectual or occupational encouragement, all of which might have a direct bearing on their spiritual lives.

When I first met her, she told me that she gave ‘three-minute testimonies’ on the tube, three minutes being the average time between two stations. She was here the other day, and told me that now she only does this occasionally. But if you find yourself sitting next to a young lady with long black hair, flashing brown eyes and a memorable smile, do listen to her: she will at least make your dull journey sparkle and may introduce you to the vital importance of faith in your existence.