A Tale of Two Socks

While Doug and I were dating he shared a story with me about how he felt about socks and life. The story was that people were much like socks in that some found their mate and stayed together for life while others get separated in the dryer and go through life searching for the other. He was beginning to believe he was a lost sock until I came along.

This sad contemplation has led me to a rigorous sock pairing search every few months. Doug collects his assortment of unmatched socks and I go on a mission.

It is amazing how many socks get separated and no matter how hard you look, you just can't find that perfect one. It is theoretically impossible to lose a sock. Especially in our house where dirty laundry goes down the laundry chute and falls into a basket in the basement. Then magic elves (or so most of my family seem to believe) sort the clothes, wash, dry, fold and bring them back up the stairs. On most days, the clothes reappear in your drawer ready for the trip again.

So tell me, how does a sock, much less a lot of socks, get lost in this process? Last night I found seven pairs of socks. That gave me a lot of satisfaction and seem to bring peace to Doug's troubled heart. Then I looked at all the other socks in the pile and wondered how much satisfaction I could get out of throwing them out and buying him new ones. It seems to me that would be a great experience as well.

So I wonder, how much time do other people, normal ones that have not attached themselves to the sock saga, spend trying to find sock mates?

Some Dreams Do Come True

I wrote several weeks ago about having dreams and plans for the future and this weekend I had the joy of sharing the experience as a dear friend fulfilled a long time dream. After many years of training, my good friend Judy Quick was ordained as a Reverend Deacon in the Episcopal Church. The deacon is one of three distinct orders of ordained ministers (bishops, priests, deacons) in the Episcopal Church.

The ceremony took place at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, a beautiful old structure with history dating back to a small framed church built in 1873. The ceremony was special in that two bishops presided.

The weekend activities started with Judy and her husband, Gene, hosting a dinner where I was introduced to 12 other close friends that all shared a special place in her life. Some dated back to high school, others college or from different areas of the country she had lived. And the newest friend present was the deacon from Jackson Mississippi who had mentored her as she prepared for this event. It was a lively dinner as old friends became new friends.

The next day was even a larger crowd as neighbors and church friends drove into Birmingham for the occasion. One colleague flew in from Paris, where Judy occasionally teaches a course in International Marketing.

After the beautiful, but lengthy service, we had a luncheon at the old Tutwiler Hotel. It seemed appropriate that we dinned to celebrate in a historical hotel which dates back to 1914 and houses pictures from the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham from the 1960's. The Tutwiler is known as a haunted hotel, if so, the spirits had to be pleased with the group that assembled to celebrate with Judy as she begins this new chapter of her life.

A Deacon in the Episcopal church is a servant of the church. The beginning of the deacon is said to be found in The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 6 where seven apostles are chosen to take over the care for the poor and the sick. Some consider this a step in becoming a priest, overs like Judy want to remain in this position.

Unlike a priest, a deacon can only be ordained by a Bishop ("God now calls you to a special ministry of servant-hood directly under your bishop.")

A priest wears a stole over both shoulders to remind him of the burdens of serving Christ. A deacon wears his stole over one shoulder as a towel, to remind him of his service to the community. Judy wears her sash as a queen.




Judy Quick