photograph: prayers by johnny monahan

Monday, February 14, 2011

secret admirer lost

this being an amorous day, i couldn't help but think of some of the oddest but sweet events of my life. one in particular comes to mind. mind you, this happened over 10 years ago so the details are pretty cloudy.

it was the summer of '99. i was home from byu working 2 jobs. i worked at big canyon country club as a hostess/server and at nbc's dreamcastle marketing in burbank as an intern. by this time, i had met my ex-husband in the el dorado singles ward i was attending and had gone on a few dates with him.

one particular morning as i was getting ready to head to work, i went to my car parked on the street in front of the house and found deep red velvet petals sprinkled all over my white '89 honda accord. i had no idea who had placed the rose petals on the car. just rose petals lay all over the hood, roof and trunk of the car, nothing else. i looked at the rose bushes our front yard to see if they had been disturbed. they had not. my mind raced to think of every possible culprit. i wondered if it was one of my brothers many admirers (no worries betsy. kris was in micronesia), a very secret admirer i had never known about, someone whom i had just been introduced to in the home ward, or my ex.

to this day i don't know who placed those petals on the car but my ex reaped the rewards of such a sweet and thoughtful act. he was honest in admitting that it was not his doing but was grateful it was done. i still wonder. i wonder if i'll ever find out who the petal sprinkler was...


Sunday, February 13, 2011

better late than never

i don't know why i've procrastinated in aiding my grandmother on her journey but i have. i guess i wanted my mother to be able to help her too, if she wanted. but because i started her work and already had the paperwork, i was able to go to the temple once again for lola.

yesterday was a beautiful day. for me it started out with a televised world-wide leadership meeting. from salt lake city, the general authorities and leaders of the lds church had a follow-up meeting regarding the new handbook. our meeting was held in the chapel of my stake meetinghouse. i didn't realize it was a meeting for all the auxiliaries so i showed up in jeans and my black leather riding boots. i was apprehensive to go into the chapel dressed as i was but my bishop assured me i was still welcome. i am glad i stayed as i was able to feast at the feet of great men and women. the church leaders are really in it for the salvation of mankind.

i had planned to go to the temple yesterday, i just didn't know when. my tentative plans were to visit the new girls entering into our beehives class. but conflicting schedules with my beehive president and first counselor forced us to make the visits today. the temple was next on my list and i eventually made it there.

i ran into a good friend in the changing room and caught up with her life. after which, i proceeded to do more of my grandmother's temple work. i felt extremely happy, at peace, and felt tremendous joy while i was at the temple. i knew lola was thankful. i knew she was aware of what i was doing. and i felt like she was accepting and excited for the fact that i was doing this vicarious work for her. the feeling of peace, joy and warmth that constantly surrounded me while in the temple gave me reason to believe this was the case.