A Prayer For Grace

Just yesterday, a kindergarten student asked me if I knew about May Day. I did, but I really wanted to hear what she knew about it, so I replied, "tell me!" She explained that on the first of May, you're supposed to pick flowers for your neighbor and then knock on their door and then leave them there in a basket for your neighbor to find, like a surprise. Yep, that's the tradition I know in connection with May Day, too. Wouldn't it be so delightful if everyone were surprised today with a bouquet of May flowers (courtesy of those April showers) left on their doorstep? And just think how much better it might be if your secret floral delivery person stayed to visit for a little while. Maybe that idea seems kind of old-fashioned or pie-in-the-sky, but I like it!

The second part of today's post has to do with magical thinking and a little Grace. It was this time about six years ago that our administrative team purchased these star music wands to give to our teachers as a Teacher Appreciation gift. It was the year that our theme was Star Polishers so it made the perfect token of our appreciation and love. I keep it in a clay pot on my desk, and no one ever seems to notice it. But on Monday, a child whom I'll call Grace asked me if she could see that wand. When I asked her what for, she said that she needed a magic spell so that {insert problem here}. I tried explaining to her that my magic wand had broken a long time ago, but she insisted that she wanted me to try. With the disclaimer that I wasn't at all sure that this was really going to work, I tapped her lightly on the head and the musical note resonated so beautifully, just like it's supposed to. "You see?" she bubbled. "It does too work!" Five year olds have such a magical way of thinking ... and of looking at life.

Before I went to sleep Monday night,
I said a little prayer, for Grace.

 Yesterday morning Grace came running up to me with the 

biggest smile I've ever seen on her face and some good news: 

"The spell worked!" 

She handed me a thank you note and told me that 

she got what was wishing for and her problem was solved. 

Maybe my magic wand isn't broken after all.

Wouldn't we all like a little Grace now and again?