The handwritten note on Sister Connie Tarallo’s desk, which she has adopted as her motto, is easy to overlook, but it captures the way she has lived for more than six decades.
“Embrace the life you have, even if it is not the one you imagined.”
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Those words have taken on new meaning in recent years as she learned to live with the loss of her right leg. Yet they are not simply a response to hardship. They describe a way of life that began long before illness entered the picture, one rooted in gratitude, community and a belief that every stage of life offers another opportunity to love and serve.
At 17, Sister Connie left her home in Boston and boarded a plane alone for Kentucky to enter the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. It was 1960, and while today’s travel might seem routine, it was a remarkable step for a young woman who had never been so far from home. Her parents trusted the Congregation with their daughter, and over the years that trust grew into a deep affection for the Sisters and the life Sister Connie had chosen. They often said that Nazareth had become part of their family because it had cared for Sister Connie, educated her and given her a life filled with purpose.
That sense of family never faded. Sister Connie’s siblings, nieces and nephews continue to visit Nazareth, not simply to see her but because they have come to love the Community that has shaped her life. When her late brother-in-law, Larry, visited Nazareth for the first time after years of hearing Sister Connie’s stories, he left with a deeper appreciation for the Congregation and the people who have walked beside her throughout her vocation.
Sister Connie during her days teaching in Memphis.
Following formation, Sister Connie spent more than 50 years serving in Memphis, where she became known for her warmth, quick smile, and genuine interest in people. As a teacher, visiting with families, or encouraging someone through a difficult day, she believed ministry begins by helping people know they are seen and valued. Community was never simply where she lived. It was how she lived.
That conviction became especially important when serious vascular disease altered the course of her life. After years of surgeries and medical procedures, Sister Connie underwent a below-the-knee amputation in 2023 before returning to Nazareth. The adjustment was significant, but she rarely speaks about what she lost. Instead, she talks about the people who carried her through it. She speaks with deep appreciation for the Sisters, nurses, therapists, and caregivers who reminded her every day that she was never facing the journey alone.
Today, Sister Connie’s conversations are still filled with encouragement. She delights in hearing about a young person’s dreams, celebrates the accomplishments of others, and looks for reasons to be grateful. During a recent conversation, she reflected that if she weighs the positives against the negatives, “you know you’re in the right place.” That perspective has become one of her greatest gifts to those around her.
The note on her desk remains a daily reminder. Sister Connie lives it as an example. She has embraced a life she never expected, not by dwelling on what has changed, but by continuing to share joy, gratitude, and compassion with everyone she meets. Her witness reminds us that vocation is not defined by circumstances. It comes to us in the way we continue to love, no matter what life brings.