Nun encounters are rare occurrences in the lives of most Americans. In the January issue of America, Sister Charlene Diorka, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, describes how her chance meeting with a curious 20-year-old during a short plane flight, gave her the opportunity to reflect on her vocation and what it means to be a "real, live nun" in the 21st century. Here are the key things she says she learned over the past 25 years:

• A call always involves an invitation to freely come and see.
• A call is about God’s time. It involves waiting and tending to a process.
• A call is a journey of trust, and God is always with us.
• A call is a gift graciously given and full of grace.

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