Maureen Woltermann

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An Extraordinary Event

As a nurse who loves history, I’ve always gravitated to the question: what were the women doing during periods of historical interest, particularly in times of crisis? One group that has garnered my attention is the experience of female military nurses who served in Vietnam. There weren’t many of them, only 4,000 to 15,000, depending on who did the counting. Records of women in the military at that time were often fragmented since female volunteers were rare in a typically male endeavor. I wondered what drew the young nurses to volunteer in the Vietnam War. I found that some came from military families and thought it was a chance to

Kindred Friendships

Women of Hope It’s no secret that friendships between women have complex and intriguing dynamics. It’s also crucial to many women that they have good friends in their daily lives for inner peace and emotional support. Why are these relationships so important to women? Women have always sought each other out to recharge emotionally, to dispel loneliness, and to reaffirm personal identities.. Women who have been through life crises say that their women friends communicated concern and bolstered their self concept and also helped them clarify and understand their problems. Lillian Rubin, a researcher who specializes in women’s relationships, quotes one woman as saying, “I love my husband and my

SPRING IN HOPELAND

What is it about the cadence of a swaying swing that soothes a tired mind? Is it the rhythmic pace that matches a heartbeat? Or the frayed memories of swishing to and fro, wind upon a face? Or the push, pump of a child reaching for the sky – such expectation! In this season of my life, I seek out solitude. No voices. Just the rapid gurgle of a nearby stream, The light flutter of leaves in the early Spring, Their shadows ever-changing on the path beneath my feet. In this sheltered spot, there is an embedded etching of a horse’s head – A hint of the ethos of my

THANKSGIVING MORN

On the porch, the quiet hush of an autumn morning, Cup of tea warming chilled hands, Pale sunlight bathing the deserted fairway. Our travelers slumber amid the reassuring drone of home. Soon the house will be alive with the melody of family Nestled together for another Thanksgiving Day. Yet, in my mind, the comforting spirits of other holidays linger; Overlapping images of our own children, of teens home from college, and toddling grand-babies now on the brink of adulthood. I reflect on the wonder of each And realize that some things are given to us for just a season, Living on in our minds, etched as golden scenes and shared