Asked and Answered

Recently I went home to Buffalo to visit my family. Before I left, my mother handed me a card with a picture of St. Therese on it, and a prayer on the back. She said that it was the saint she prayed to when she needed guidance and help. I was familiar with the prayer and thanked her for giving me something I could carry in my pocket. The story behind the prayer is that you say it, meditatively, and when you see a rose you will know that it has been heard and will be answered.

This morning I sat my children down for breakfast with a bowl of Trix (the round, multicolored cereal) and ran upstairs to get their clothes together for school. While I was sorting through outfits, searching for socks, color coordinated shirts and tops, I thought of the St. Therese card. I thought of it and I recited the prayer, meditatively. When I finished, the first thought that came to mind was whether or not I would see a rose today, and where. It was raining outside something terrible and I knew I wasn't going many places. Maybe I'd see it at the school when I dropped the kids off, maybe I'd see it in my Deacon's office when I went to see him for a little spiritual 'pick me up', maybe I wouldn't see it at all today.

Remnants of the thought were still wisping around my mind when I came downstairs with a handful of clothes for the kids. The first thing I heard from my son was, "Look Mommy, a rose." On his spoon was a clump of that multicolored cereal, and he saw a rose. And when I looked, I found it to be the most beautiful rose I'd ever seen.