Remembering

How can the reminder smell so good? All day, since the imposition of ashes at the noon service, I've been caught by the surprise of a musty yet sweet smell coming from above. It reminded me of walking down State Street past the many stores toting incense. Maybe I've never noticed before; or maybe there wasn't oil in the ashes last year; or maybe I went to bed shortly after the evening service and so washed it away before I could notice.

The past three years we shared Ash Wednesday with a church in our community that had a special service for children. We sat on rolled out Ikea mats. The priests talked about the vestments they wear, how the ashes came from last year's Palm Sunday palms, and what we do and say and pray at the Eucharist. There were hymns and a solo. The boys' music teacher was there. Dietrich was always hesitant to receive the ashes. I imagined he sensed the enormity of what was going on. Or maybe he sensed the enormity I felt at walking with my babies to remember we are, all, but dust.

But today they were the only children. And one of them was not entirely in the Ash Wednesday mood. He would have much rather been home with paper and crayons and his pew supply quickly ran out. But then we read Joel. It spoke of bringing the whole congregation together in a "solemn assembly" to "sanctify a fast...gather the children, even infants at the breast breast". We were all there to remember we are dust, in whatever way we can.

The scent kept coming back to me: when I waited with Elliott in the back of the nave as he found some calm within him to last him through the rest of the service; while I was driving; when I was warming up soup and grilled cheese for dinner. Even now, watching the Olympians being very much alive, the scent is with me. The ashes are to remind me of my dust-like nature, that I came from dust and to dust I will return. We said it together, we accepted the reminder together, children, college kids, and long life witnesses of faith in Jesus. But as we went our separate directions -- back to school for the students, back to the office for others, back home to a light lunch for some, to the ski hill for us -- the scent came with us to carry us into a new season.