Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. A day about preparation and refection.
I knew it when I got up. On my list of things to do for the day, was to check out the mass schedules at our local churches. I knew what chauffeuring I had to do after school and was in search of a 5:00 mass. That would fit perfectly. I figured there had to be one.
Right before I left school, I Googled St. Pius’s mass schedule. 5:30. I Googled St. Thomas’s mass schedule. 5:30. I double checked my church, Our Lady of Assumption. Also, 5:30. No way I could make that work. No worries.
I came home, cooked dinner (everyone cooks dinner at 4:00, right?), whipped up some muffins and headed out the door to get Megan to riding. Came home, finished dinner, fed Grace, fed the dog and looked at the clock. It was 5:10. Everything’s all set, I could stop by St. Pius on my way to pick up Megan, stop into church, if I get the ashes, I get em, if not, no worries.
So that’s what I did. As it turned out, it wasn’t a full mass. A full, packed church, but not a full mass, so I left at 6:00 with ashes. Everything had worked out. It always does.
About an hour and a half later, I was at a high school basketball game. Grace, and her team would be performing at half time. I showed up at 7:00, watched the first two quarters. Good game. I love the energy of a bunch of teenagers cheering on their team in an organized, unified way.
Half time came. The girls danced. I watched, I cheered. When they were done, I went down to give Grace a hug and say good bye. Grace was no where to be found. So I stood around talking and watching for Grace.
There was an older man seated in a chair near by. There was a pause in the half time chit chat and I turned my head to look for Grace. The man and I made eye contact and suddenly he reached for my arm and pulled me towards him. “Come here.” he said as he reached up for my forehead, pressed his thumb on my forehead and then transferred my ashes to his forehead. “There, that’s better.” he smiled at me. “I forgot to go to church. Now my wife is going to ask me where I went to get my ashes.” He was laughing at himself and I was laughing with him. “What’s your name?” I asked. He pulled me in again, “You’re not going to believe it, but my name is Hooker. Yup, Hooker.” “Well Hooker, you tell your wife you got your ashes from Dawn at a high school basketball game.”
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. It was about preparation, reflection, and sharing.
let's observe 
What a moment! This is something you would embrace and laugh at… because you think things like this:
Everything had worked out. It always does.
You pack a lot into an evening… all with joy. I thought we were busy.
I love this small moment you captured with Hooker.
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This small moment shows the humor of everyday life as we try to prioritize and get it all done. Thank you for the chuckle.
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Your after school accomplishments are to be admired. That’s a funny incident about the ashes. One wonders when his wife got hers. You might have carried those ashes to two people.
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I love the repeated last line with an addition. I think sharing is about all of the days and should be. It is so fun to ride along with someone’s day and live these moments that come to us as gifts.
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What a packed day! And your title, “Unexpected Share” is perfect. The way you changed the pacing of your writing at the end, zooming into the moment with the man… beautifully done!
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…And the man replied, “Well Dawn, you tell your husband that you got your slice from a Hooker!”
This is such a Dawn slice. Strangers seem to just know that they can talk to you. I like how the last line echoes the first, but it has expanded…because of the story.
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Sometimes I suspect that the strangers who affect us much are actually angels undercover. No matter the pace of our life, something greater than our cares finds its way to us. I enjoyed reading this post.
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LOVE the idea that strangers are actually angels undercover! Holding onto that one!!
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This is so awesome. Such a perfect sharing slice. I love your final quip to Hooker… a perfect ending. I like how you crafted your opening and closing lines, like bookends of your story.
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I think this slice shows how, even though your schedule is jam packed, you always have time to slow down, listen, and help.
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I love this. Wish I had ran into you too as I couldn’t figure out my schedule to get to mass but you’re right… “Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. It was about preparation, reflection, and sharing.” I did all that in my own way.
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I thought about an Ash Wednesday post, but mine was uneventful, but was full of reflection. I loved your slice and that you took the time to talk to this stranger at a ballgame. And that is also what Lent is all about – slowing down and thinking about others.
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