When I went up to my mom's place in Quincy at the beginning of Lent I had a mishap with the security door and stuff flew out of my open bag all over the lobby floor. I hastily stuffed everything back in it and went on up to Mom's apartment. At least I thought I stuffed everything in, but the next morning I couldn't find my makeup case. I thought I must have forgotten to pack it back at home.
But when I got home, it wasn't here either. I prayed about it and searched through the luggage and decided there were two possibilities--either it had somehow fallen under the bed in the spare room where I sleep at Mom's or I had lost it in the lobby and it was gone for good. I fretted a bit about it. I don't wear a lot of make up. I wasn't sure whether there might have been a pair of silver earrings in the case. I considered having Mom check under the bed, or look in the 'lost and found' at her place, but considered that at 91 Mom might get that project confused or forget about it even if I asked her.
So, I gave up the make up case. I decided that the make up could easily be replaced and I have other cases. I just had to give it up. There was no other place to search. I gave up fretting about it as a Lenten sacrifice. When I thought of it though out Lent, I offered up my loss as a sacrifice.
When I went up to Mom's on Holy Saturday for Easter, I checked under the bed in the spare room, but as I expected, no luck. I came back from Mom's on Easter Sunday. As I unpacked my stuff, I discovered in a zippered compartment, that little red make up case. I thought I had looked in that compartment. I thought I had looked twice, but there it was. Lent was over and what was lost was found. I am sure there is a metaphor in there somewhere.
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But when I got home, it wasn't here either. I prayed about it and searched through the luggage and decided there were two possibilities--either it had somehow fallen under the bed in the spare room where I sleep at Mom's or I had lost it in the lobby and it was gone for good. I fretted a bit about it. I don't wear a lot of make up. I wasn't sure whether there might have been a pair of silver earrings in the case. I considered having Mom check under the bed, or look in the 'lost and found' at her place, but considered that at 91 Mom might get that project confused or forget about it even if I asked her.
So, I gave up the make up case. I decided that the make up could easily be replaced and I have other cases. I just had to give it up. There was no other place to search. I gave up fretting about it as a Lenten sacrifice. When I thought of it though out Lent, I offered up my loss as a sacrifice.
When I went up to Mom's on Holy Saturday for Easter, I checked under the bed in the spare room, but as I expected, no luck. I came back from Mom's on Easter Sunday. As I unpacked my stuff, I discovered in a zippered compartment, that little red make up case. I thought I had looked in that compartment. I thought I had looked twice, but there it was. Lent was over and what was lost was found. I am sure there is a metaphor in there somewhere.
(And a lesson.)