You Never Know What Treasures You'll Find...
Have you ever heard of a white elephant sale? No, it has nothing to do with the zoo! It's a rummage sale of sorts, and the one I went to was held at a local Catholic church, St. Alan, during their annual summer fair. The highlight of the day, according to many, is the white elephant sale, where untold treasures can be found at a fraction of their original cost: books, toys, housewares, jewelry, and electronics. It's like a big garage sale that has been donated to the church by parishioners, who hope the church can reap some profits. I try to go every year to search through the treasures there.
It's always fun to go through the rooms and check out the tables: DVDs for 50 cents, pretty glasses, gently used toys, and interesting books. But imagine my shock when I came across the above picture last year. I just knew it was meant for me! I've never seen this particular picture before. I felt so lucky to have found it! I kept it in its original frame for about a year, but the curiosity got the better of me: How old was it? Who owned it? Would there be a clue written on the back? So I took it out of the frame it came in, which admittedly was not that pretty. I soon discovered that the wooden frame had been covering some handwriting. At the very bottom is written in ink: "Ste. Therese, The Little Flower, entering Heaven to begin fulfillment of her 'Shower of Roses.' "
I love the sentiment, and felt cheated that, all of this time, that those beautiful words had been hidden beneath the frame! I made up my mind to get rid of the old frame and find a new one that would showcase the pretty words. I haven't done it yet, because I haven't been able to find the perfect frame, it seems. But I know it's out there somewhere. Who wrote those words? Whoever the previous owner of the gorgeous picture is, he or she must have had a special devotion to the Little Flower. And you know what? I think this picture fell into the right hands, if I do say so myself!
