381. Saint Anthony - Forgotten!
The 13th June was a normal Thursday morning. I dressed in
the usual way, made out my shopping list and jumped into the car.
I stopped at the village diary for the cheese before going to Town.
As I stepped out of the dairy I looked across at the big wooden door of the
church, which by the way is called St Anthony and saw people going into the
church and wondered why on earth the church was open on a normal Thursday
morning. Then I heard the bells ring- I wonder who’s dead? Says the heathen in
me who, as if having suddenly acquired a dose of stage fright was not able to
distinguish a death knell from one of the living.
Then it struck me- I slapped my hand on my forehead and cried St Anthony! I had forgotten my own
village Patron Saint- and no camera! The children would offer their tall, white
lilies to St Anthony and stupid me had left the camera at home, how could I possibly
excuse myself- photos were expected. So I dashed back in the car- drove at full
speed up the hill, crossed a police control car on the way. But there’s never, ever a police car up that
hill on a Thursday morning, I cussed to myself. Trust them to show up right now
just when, because of the maddening hurry I did not have my safety belt
fastened!!! But, I strongly suspect, for their own good, they decided to ignore
me. Anyway, in eleven minutes flat I was back in church with the camera.
I ran up the aisle, saw some lilies had been placed in the big
copper vases at the foot of the altar- Drat, I had missed it. Then I noticed
the children still had their lilies on the kneelers- No, the ceremony had not
yet begun!
So here’s why this year I’ve decided to blog about St
Anthony and post some pictures of the children offering their lilies to our
Patron Saint, because those images may well not have ever been taken, and those
moments lost from view, forever. I think
that makes them even more precious.
We take everything for granted- but should we
not be grateful to photography… it allows us to capture a moment in time and then
to relive it over and over again.
See the
complete album here:
