thoughts of ashes to ashes

shared by Marlo R. Beall and VJ Rabuy, her sisters

With Ash Wednesday approaching this week, we both remember sharing the beginning of Lent with Cindy. Our family did our best to receive ashes every year, so we have a handful of memories of attending Ash Wednesday services with Cyn, and continuing with the rest of our day with the ashes on our foreheads.

For VJ, she remembers Ash Wednesday during high school. Since we typically went to mass early in the morning, VJ remembers trying to remove the ashes after church and before school. However, Cyn would encourage her not to do so, saying that she could just explain to people why the ashes were there.

For Marlo, there was one particular Ash Wednesday while we lived in LA when she remembers just making it to church in time to receive ashes. We had arrived late to the service and did not even have a moment to sit down. We entered the church and just kept walking down the aisle to the ashes distribution line.

So if you receive ashes this year and are thinking about wiping them from your forehead so as not to be noticed during the day, please consider leaving the ashes there, as a little reminder of what Cyn would do.