Grace Map

My friends, Lupe and Tina, once shared with a group of women that we each have a grace map. It is a map of times when God used someone or something to grace us. Could we think of people in our lives who gave us love and unmerited favor as we were growing up or as adults? We weren't crazy, so we probably had some folks in our lives who God used to bless us. I really liked the idea of a physical map, like a drawing of sorts.

I thought back of the neighbor girl who was Catholic and gave me communion in her backyard before I had any idea what communion was. I thought of the lady who graciously took me out for driving lessons in her big pale green station wagon because my stepmom did not drive. And then there was the girlfriend who was brilliant, but always invited me, awkward and shy, over to play and laugh...easily winning at games like Yatzee, but helping me to learn along the way. Why did she befriend me? Grace. I thought of my aunt and uncle who took me in when things were very difficult at home when I was four.

Today, I thought of my grace map because friends kept coming by throughout the day, as if on cue, to help with moving out lots of stuff from my house. They freely packed, sorted, threw out, re-sorted and hauled away my worldly goods. Nika, a dear one, started the packing yesterday, and she brought lunch and love. Today, another friend, Jackie, brought lunch at just the right time, another, Karen, brought dinner. Each person was so kind to come by and help and give of themselves.

At the end of the day, a friend and I took a 2 mile walk, and I took some lovely pictures of hydrangeas. I thought of all my friends today, just as beautiful as the deep blues and yellows I found along the way on our summer walk. I came home happy and encouraged greatly by my memories of loving, faithful, God-ordained people along my own walk of grace today, and all my days.
All photography by M. di Tomasso.