Raise your hand if you watch Call the Midwife.
I’ve been watching this show since its beginning. In fact, I’ve been so enamored with it that it inspired my 2019 novel called Little Milestones. I even talk about the show in my author’s notes.
Now, with the 12th season of the show under my belt, I have a pretty good handle on the reason why Nonnatus House is idyllic for those of us who watch the show.
Nonnatus House stands for something important. It is a beacon of light, because it represents everything that is good and solid and kind about friendships, particularly female friendships. Nonnatus House is the ship, and the midwives are the captains of the ship. Most importantly, it’s the place where love is given, understanding is the core of the relationships, and acceptance for who we are as people, including our flaws and our brokenness, is impenetrable.
Woven into the stories of the midwives are the people they serve in the community of Poplar in London. Countless lives are brought into the world by these midwives; as well, they offer care at the end of life or in times of tragedy. I relish the weaving of stories about their patients and their pregnancies, the way the midwives intermingle and support one another, and the way the community rallies together in times of trouble (as well as in times of happiness and celebrations). It’s heartening to see the bonds women form, and they stand as the very best examples of what healthy female friendships look like. Nonnatus House is the idyllic place for friendships to grow and for enduring bonds to form. As well, the men in the show all connect, too, and they have special friendships with the midwives and the nuns. It’s super cute, actually.
As well, the intermingling of the religious nun midwives and the lay midwives offers its fair share of great examples of kindness through and through. While sometimes the nuns do not understand the other midwives and vice versa, they respect each other. A sense of deep love for one another penetrates the heart. I absolutely love the way Call the Midwife portrays friendships; it continues to serve as inspiration for my own friendships with women I consider friends.
Loving each other, supporting each other, listening to each other, caring for one another—the show, as it moves into Season 13, continues to stress the importance of each of these qualities as paramount for fostering bonds that cannot be broken.
About the author:
STEPHANIE VERNI is the author of THE LETTERS IN THE BOOKS; FROM HUMBUG TO HUMBLE: THE TRANSFORMATION OF EBENEZER SCROOGE; BENEATH THE MIMOSA TREE; INN SIGNIFICANT; LITTLE MILESTONES; THE POSTCARD; and ANNA IN TUSCANY. She is also a co-author of the textbook, EVENT PLANNING: COMMUNICATING THEORY & PRACTICE. Currently an adjunct professor at Stevenson University Online, she instructs communication courses for undergraduate and graduate students. She and her husband reside in Severna Park, Maryland, and have two children. On the side, she enjoys writing travel articles for marylandroadtrips.com.