Lost and Found

It is a Catholic tradition to say a prayer to St. Anthony when one has lost something. He is, apparently, the patron saint of lost items. I learned about the tradition when I moved to Cincinnati for college, so maybe it is just a Cincinnati Catholic tradition; I don't know.

Some people call on St. Anthony when they have lost something--I just call on Sean! When I have searched and searched for something I have misplaced at home, a call to my husband (at work or where ever he is) yields miraculously quick results. This is usually because he has seen the mislaid item in it's bizarrely random location and remembers it.

" Yes, you left your shoes under the desk in my office." 
"Your car keys are on the bathroom sink."  "
Your camera is on the nightstand."
"I saw your purse in the pantry."

However, even when he cannot tell me where the lost object is, somehow the act of talking with him sends me in the right direction, and I find whatever it is within moments of hanging up the phone.

Today, I lost my car at the mall. I am not a frequent mall shopper, but I needed to exchange a shirt for Brendan, and I wanted to buy this red bag I'd seen in JC Penney. I would usually park my car outside of the JC Penney entrance so I would remember where it was, but this day I parked outside the food court entrance since I had to exchange Brendan's shirt at the American Eagle store. But I remembered that I had parked outside the food court and so, when I had the new shirt and bag, I exited through the food court. After walking up and down the rows of cars in front of the food court and not finding my car, I began to second guess myself, and began to walk the rows in front of the JC Penney. After ten minutes of not finding the car, I walked to a bench outside the food court to sit down. Feeling a little bit tired, and more than a little bit stupid, I called Sean. "I got my red bag..." I told him, my voice tinged with frustration, "but I lost my red car!"

We talked a few moments, and he assured me that it was unlikely it had been stolen and suggested that if I didn't find it soon that I should see if one of the mall security cars could drive me around the whole parking lot ot look for it. I was just hoping the phone call to Sean would work its magic. It did! As soon as I got off of the phone, I decided to walk a little farther to the right than I had before and in doing so, recalled that the food court has TWO entrances! I just smiled and shook my head. Just a few more steps around the bend and there was my little red car smiling back at me ( I swear it was!)

Who needs St. Anthony when I have my Sean!