After my brother died in 1973, my mother began finding four-leaf clovers. Not just a few here and there, but lots of them--for years, everywhere. She would press them and then place them between sheets of waxed paper and iron them so they would be preserved. I demonstrated the use of clear contact paper to her and she started saving them that way. She shared her four-leaf clovers with everyone. I always had at least one in my wallet. I don't know that it brought me any special luck but somehow just having it made me feel good because my mother found it and she gave it to me. Finding the special plants lightened her heart since my brother's death was a terrible blow.
When Mom passed away, I found several sheets of preserved four-leaf clovers tucked away here and there in my parents' house. I gave them away to my daughters and whoever wanted them. Every now and then, I still come across them in my own home--like yesterday when I was cleaning in my kitchen.
On Saturday, I saw the one picture above embedded in the polyurethane covering the wood of the table in one of my favorite casual restaurants. I've eaten at that restaurant several times. I've even sat at that same table, but I didn't notice it until Saturday. And I didn't see it until we had finished eating and were ready to leave.
I'm sure the owner figured the little token was good luck.
For me, it was something more. I got a warm feeling that maybe it was a sign from my mother. Maybe Mom was there with us as we shared our meal. Why not?
There are those who don't believe in coincidences, but I do. Especially since my mother could look at the same patch of clover as everyone else, but she found the special one. It brought her comfort and hope.
That's what faith does. Comfort and hope lend us strength. But sometimes we need a little boost--and we can find that if we keep our eyes open.
6 comments:
My family is the same way with songs. There are several songs that remind us all of the people we've lost, and on their birthdays we've heard those songs, def not a coincidence. :-)
Jenn,
Love never fails.
Whenever a friend of mine found a penny, she thought that her husband left them for her. As she said, "I cleaned that floor, there wasn't any coins there, it had to be Gerald." The song, "Pennies from Heaven" comes to mind. She was a dear friend and I was thinking of her the other day...later I found a penny by my desk. Could be I dropped it, but I like to think that Jean sent it to me.
Pepper,
I think Jean sent it to you, too. That's so sweet. :-)
Penelope,
The same thing happened in my family. A couple of years ago we lost my younger brother and each of us (my sisters and I)have received our own special signs from him. Mine was a cardinal who started appearing every day and more than once a day on my back deck, front yard, places I never used to see them. My sisters is a heart and my other sisters a type of flower that grew in his backyard that never grew in hers. We believe in these signs and it really helps us cope with the loss.
Marilyn Baron
Marilyn,
Yes, coping with the loss is difficult, but those little signs or messages do help. :-)
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