Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Radiating peace February 18, 2026

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 6:00 AM
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Three sisters and a man walk together late Monday afternoon near Bethlehem Academy, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

THERE ARE MOMENTS in life when you see something at exactly the right time. And you understand the significance deep within your soul, your spirit.

For me that came Monday afternoon when I saw three sisters walking along the sidewalk near Bethlehem Academy, the Catholic High School about two blocks from my home. Randy and I were passing by in our van after a short jaunt into the countryside when I spotted the white-robed women.

Their snow white garb contrasted with their flowing black head coverings. Now I am not Catholic so I pretend no understanding of the black and white attire. I always thought nuns wore only all black with minimal white. This sighting proved that assumption wrong.

But more important than the clothing was the sense of peace that washed over me as I watched these sisters, accompanied by a man dressed in black, walk along the sidewalk on a beautiful warm and sunny afternoon in mid-February.

They radiated peace.

In these unsettling times, I’ll take peace. I’ve never before seen nuns in Faribault, making the sighting of these three devoted women of faith even more impressionable.

These words from the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi came to me:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A sister’s love, more precious than jewels December 27, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:53 AM
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ONCE UPON A TIME, in the land of Prairieville, an aging princess (in name only) arrived at the country estate of her middle brother just days before Christmas.

Unbeknownst to the princess, her middle sister, who is nothing like Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters and who also had journeyed from a yonder land, planned for the princess the most splendid surprise.

The princess had just shrugged off her pea coat and greeted her family when Sir Stephen stepped forward to present a present to the stunned princess. Thinking perhaps that her fun-loving nephew was about to play a prank upon her, as family members are sometimes wont to do, the princess accepted the gift with trepidation.

The first gift package, from Nixie, Fairy of Water.

The first gift package, from Nixie, Fairy of Water.

She pulled a dainty tissue-wrapped package from a gift envelope, allowing the tiny package to fall onto the floor for fear of what she may discover inside. With great care, she soon retrieved and unwrapped the gift. A lovely ring fell into her palm.

Before the princess could even slip the jewel onto her finger, another family member stepped forward with a present, followed by nine more packages into which child-size rings had been tucked.

By that time, the princess had determined that her kind-hearted sister, Lanae, had hatched the entire marvelous scheme to write a happily-ever-after ending to a story which began decades earlier on a Prairieville farm.

Many years ago, when the princess was much younger, she lost an emerald ring (not a “real” emerald, of course) gifted to her by her godmother. Despite a frantic search of the family farm, the precious jewel was never found. The princess was overcome with inconsolable sadness and never forgot that lost ring.

A sampling of the rings gifted to me by 11 fairies. These will be passed along to some sweet little girls I know.

A sampling of the rings gifted to me by 11 fairies. These will be passed along to some sweet little girls I know.

Because all fairy tales should end happily, the princess’s loving sister, Lanae, gathered, from various fairies of the world, a collection of fine jewels. Nixie, Fairy of Water; the White, Frost, Tooth, Sugar Plum, Woodland, Snowflake and Ice fairies; the Queen of the Fairies; The Little Fairy Fayette; and Tinkerbell all contributed gems to the cause.

The final ring, an "emerald," to replace the one I lost nearly 50 years ago.

The final ring, an “emerald,” to replace the one I lost nearly 50 years ago.

After the princess had unwrapped 11 packages of child-sized rings, a final box was presented to her from the Fairy Godmother. Inside, the princess found a sparkling imitation emerald, even more beautiful than the one she had lost on her childhood farm nearly 50 years earlier.

The aging princess was overcome with joy as she slipped the emerald ring onto her finger and raced to embrace her sister whose kind heart overflows with goodness and love.

THE END

THANK YOU, LANAE, for blessing me with this wonderful gift. I appreciate the thought, time and effort you put into pulling off this royal surprise. You made me feel like a real princess and I shall always cherish this gift of the heart from you to me.

TO READ my first posting about the lost ring of my youth, click here.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling