Love and Lent
A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning my office here at home. I went through a box of sundries that I had never completely unpacked in January 2003 when we moved in. I found this memento from "our youth." A 1970's hippie rock. No, literally a rock. It's about 4-5" tall. We used to find nice rocks and write on them, then shellac 'em so the ink would stay put, and so the rock would have a lovely sheen. I believe this particular rock was given to my husband by a priest friend from Wisconsin. I have always liked this passage, even more so that I have had many more years of life experience and repeated opportunities to choose who I will be. The choosing has led me to recognize how true this is: "Love I wear as open as a wound...". Sure, it is a "mad mistake." It's risky; it looks foolish sometimes. But, it is for me a blessed choice.
Text:
Love I wear
As open as a wound.
A mad mistake, I know,
but Love, like Lent,
only comes to those of us
who still believe.
Rod McKuen,
Fields Of Wonder - "Mardi Gras"
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