Let me tell y’all a story. I like to find odd little antiques and vintage items to display around the house. I don’t know why, but the process of searching and finding is incredibly satisfying for me. Here are some things I’ve found over the years.

1/

Believe it or not, I find most of this stuff in the trash. The trick is to go into old neighborhoods where people are refurbishing their houses. You would be amazed at the stuff they throw out. It’s almost criminal.

2/

Anyway, one day I was going through some promising trash and found a string of glass beads with a crucifix. I had a vague notion that it was a rosary. But, at that time, I didn’t know what a rosary was. I just liked it because it was old and pretty.

3/

I took it home, took it out of my pocket, and set it down. When I got up in the morning, I absentmindedly put it back in my pocket and went to work with it. I intended on displaying it, but it kept ending up in my pocket day after day.

4/

Finally, one day, I took it out and just really looked at it. What is this thing? Why am I carrying it around?

So, I did some Google searches and found all these prayers associated with it.

I was soon writing those prayers down in my notebook.

5/

Then, almost subconsciously, I was saying Hail Marys while it was in my hands.

Fam...I was not a believer at this time. At best, I was an agnostic who was open to religion, but not a believer in any dogma.

6/

Things happen quickly when Our Lady is involved. Within six months, I was enrolled in RCIA. Nine months after that, I was a Catholic.

I still can’t fathom it. Our Lady loves us so much that she arranged for me to find Her in the trash, of all places.

7/

The rosary in question. It is no longer in my procession as I gave it to a friend who was struggling with the faith.

God is good.

/end