The Anchorite’s Milk Box

Some years back when I was studying theology, I did a paper on Julian of Norwich.  She left her life as a married woman and mother to become an anchorite or spiritual recluse and devoted her life to God.  She went to live in a small room off the Church of Norwich which for monks and abbots is called a cell.  There she had no luxuries and spent most of her time talking to God.  There was a small window at the edge of her cell that looked out to a court yard where people would pass by, some stopping to ask Julian for prayer.

An epidemic of plague overtook Europe and people in Julian’s hometown were frightened.  They were convinced that this illness was sent by God to punish them for their sins.  It was at that time Julian heard God say, “ All shall be well – All manner of things shall be well”.

This context crossed my mind as I struggled to find liquid soap during the current Covid19 pandemic.  Being in the high-risk category of people who should not venture out into public places, I was dependent on others to do grocery shopping for me. Due to the sins of greedy people, Items such as disinfectants, paper towels, toilet paper, and liquid soap were not easily available.

I was speaking with my neighbor about this and she informed me that she had lots of liquid soap on hand and I should bring my empty container over and she would fill it.  She instructed me to come to her milk box on the side of her house to get my refill.  I donned my face mask and walked across the street.  There, waiting on the inside of the opened box, was the anchorite ready to answer my prayer for liquid soap. 

We chatted about the state of the world while she filled the container.  When done, we promised to get together again, open-faced like happy sandwiches, relieved and free from harm’s way.

I thanked my neighbor, and walked back home.  I thought about Julian in her stone cell looking out the window, and wondered how life would be without liquid soap.