What more perfect day than Ash Wednesday to begin my Tigress Tales. We human beings do love rituals, seasons, cycles and the comfort of familiarity that they all bring. This six weeks before the glorious day of resurrection and new life and baby animals and flowers and the light bright feeling that all will be well in our worlds once again because we’re being given another chance to transcend our winter weeks of folded wings and introspection and rumination to stand tall and open our chests and say ‘Yes’ to the sky and God and everything that we ever wanted to be and do, is wondrous indeed.
Yes, Ash Wednesday is the day to begin to share a smattering of the wonders of human encounters and the appearance of angels in sheep’s clothing.
Last night, after almost 3 hours on the 405, usually a 60 minute drive at rush hour but this time a bolox of never-ending red tail-lights stuck behind each other and creeping at 2 miles per hour, I met an angel. Usually as I slide down the off ramp of my exit there is a homeless man standing on the corner and I am ready for him, with window down and cookie in hand to sail by and pass it to him as I round the corner. I didn’t think that he’d be there tonight because I was so late but I was ready anyway. A butterscotch for communication cookie, perfectly soft and ready to be devoured, and there in the shadows a man, taller and different. Yes, a man, a new man, about my age and well postured standing with a crutch and one leg. I handed him the cookie as I rounded the curve and he leaned in, smiled and said ‘Thank you! I’ve heard about you!” And I felt God smiling on me the rest of the 3 blocks home. He thought that I was his angel but he was mine….after the long haul of a drive to hear these words and receive his smile.
So, should I introduce myself? How do I do that? Where do I begin? I think I’ll let the who and where tell themselves through these passages but for now, to explain the cookie. I am Francie, as in ‘Francie’s Magic Cookies’, …a newly resurrected company of cookies with magical powers (intentions as some prefer to call them). The cookies, which came into this incarnation last summer have been boomeranging their magic back to me on a daily basis and I have stories to tell before I die…..about the beauty and wonder of simple interactions out there on the street with strangers. That’s only part of what I have to share but very at the heart of this inspiration. So now I have begun. Tigress Tales has embarked on its grand adventure. Thank you for joining me.