Madeline is the narrator

Cordelia invited her to accompany her to England

Somara was the bookkeeper for the Monastery

Cyndy was the shepherd for 4 sheep

Jill tended to the hens and chicken & the flower gardens

Caren was a potter for the monastery in a separate building

Mary Jo in charge of the appearance of the chapel

Karin was a counselor to the distressed brothers, but was exposed and expelled for deceiving authorities 

Previously:

“Oh, Madeline, ever the writer. I am relieved to hear someone say that the Chapter of Faults also impacted them. Having to kneel for offenses that Abbott Richard claimed someone was guilty of was damaging. So we had to confess to something we may not even have been connected to in any way.” Cyndy let out a long sigh.

“Oh, I’m so glad you two are saying that,” said Somara.

“Somara, I think you speak for the rest of us.” Mary Jo’s words were followed by several ‘yes’...’yes’...’yes.’  

Everyone looked to Karin for a solution, as she gazed toward the white puffy clouds and scratched her head, whispering, “Oh, boy.”

*********

After pausing for a moment, Karin, who was a Psychiatrist, offered what she could. “Well, I guess we might keep in mind some may have developed distorted thinking regarding displaced responsibility. 

“After the trauma from the 16th century, you may feel unnecessarily responsible for things that are happening around you. That could actually sabotage your day-to-day events and relationships.”

I had to intervene. “Karin, you must at least have some solution for us who were emotionally wounded?”

Somara said, “This seems just like a good group therapy session, doesn’t it?”

There were wide smiles as the others agreed.

“It feels so good, doesn’t it?” Mary Jo looked at the others for cohesion.

Cyndy said, “Even though I never found Stewy, I think I will eventually be able to comfort myself to know he’s at the Rainbow Bridge, not being annoyed with sheep shearing or anyone stewing, because he went missing while I was in charge of his well-being for the monastery.”  

Karin paused while others spoke. Looking to the blue sky, she began. “Okay, here goes. This may sound a bit strange, but every time you hear Abbott Richard's words hovering, picture a little monk on your shoulder whispering lies into your ear, the reasoning part of your brain, and your wounded soul.”

Several of the group smiled for the first time in a while. “That just might work,” I said as I acted out flicking the medieval whisperer from my shoulder. Everyone followed suit, some saying, “Ping…ping…ping.”          

********

It was time to direct praise toward Karin. “The wonderful person who is still helping us must have felt in the dark in much of the incidences referred to in our discussions. That is you, Karin.

“You, as Abraham, were such a blessing for all of us in our set. And you have continued on in this the 21st century to help people resolve differences within themselves. Why, we just saw evidence of how effective you are. I felt so badly for you getting thrown out of the monastery.” 

“I guess I was quite a renegade back then. I’m like Clark Kent, mild-mannered and quiet in this century.”

Caren reminded everyone she was always locked away in the pottery building and missed everything they were talking about. But she did want to find out more and asked Karin some questions.

“Karin, I only know the little I picked up in whispers from the monks when we were in the monastery. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“No, certainly not. Ask me anything and I will fill you in to the best of my ability.”

“I’ve heard there was a dramatic scene circling you. Did you feel like they were going to smother you?”

“OMG.” This set Karin off. “At first I felt as if there were no air left to fill my lungs which were, instead, filling with darkness. I was frozen with fear when I was herded into the Abbot's office by the tribe of importance. 

“I was preparing for some kind of physical beating when I saw the Cardinal with the walking stick.” Karin breathed a sigh of relief, remembering that it didn’t go as harshly as it could have. 

“Caren continued her questions. “So they claimed you were an imposter, not even a Catholic?” 

Caren had no idea she was slowly gaining information we all had felt insecure about. Then, it struck me, it was all literally in the past. We were not throwing around a time-worn idiom. It was real and we needed to move on. The Karen/Abraham in front of us was a respectable professional Psychiatrist, no phony, no imposter in this lifetime. 

Karin explained herself. “Because I only knew what was going on with Abraham while there, for the year-length term in the 16th century, I can offer no other information. I actually knew none of Abraham’s history, except for the scrambled allegations pronounced by Abbot Richard. 

“The assault of accusations was as much a surprise to me as to everyone present. It’s weird what happened to all of us. We were plunked back into a person’s body and a life we lived hundreds of years ago.” 

Cordelia had been extra quiet during the discussions. “Why would our 16th century persons, or anyone, ever choose to stay in such a physical, and emotional confining situation? Did the ‘being closer to God’ feeling work for them?” 

Mary Jo began the summation. “While immersed in those 16th century bodies, we had to wing it, in coordination with our assigned person, until we got the hang of it.  I think we did well, considering the stark circumstances. Let’s hope we don’t have any long-term psychological effects.” 

Karin sorted it out, as only she could do.