As a cradle Catholic, I have always been fascinated with Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, who I have called upon for guidance plenty. I find her apparitions particularly mind-blowing. And hopeful. While living in Europe, I spent 17 hours on a bus (each way) to attend a military pilgrimage to Lourdes, where Mary appeared to Bernadette. It was a celebratory, uplifting, powerfully positive experience. Military members from all over the world, joining together to celebrate faith. And hope. And I did see plenty of laughter, food and music being shared by men and women in a variety of uniforms during afternoons in the pubs. Joyous to observe.

Contemplate Mary among us in 2022. She may be sitting next to you at the movies or behind you in line at the grocery store. Kind and loving. Inclusive and open-minded. Non-judgmental. Hip in her rose floral bikini. Laying in the picturesque desert, appreciating the God-given and gorgeous Arizona weather and landscape. Maybe reciting the rosary. Her Son calls as she reads her digital bible on her cell phone. Traditional symbols of Mary can be found throughout this piece if you look closely. Roses. A Rosary. Twelve Stars. Tiny angels. Holding our globe. A Fleur de Lis. A crown. An “M” signet ring. A delicate halo. A sacred heart.

Maps cover the mountains. Hello echoes in the sky. The stained glass sun reads Namaste representing church and our greeting to meditation. The moon is a clock, reminding us that time is ticking. This mother embraces a group of children. The powerful, beautiful words in the foreground were discovered in a short book, “Did I Tell You?” A Message to a Son, by Elizabeth Knapp, a gift to my husband from his mother when he was a young man. Portions of her book were graciously used with written consent of the author. Ms. Knapp’s extraordinary and loving books can be found online at https://diditellyou.com/.

I hope this piece will inspire us to challenge our faith, whichever faith that may be. To occasionally put down the distractions of modern times and connect. With her. With faith. With family. With your God.