Ash Valentine's Day
I'm seeing several posts on Social Media regarding this being the first time Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday have been on the same day for over 50 years.
I would like to share that I was not aware -- or at least fully aware -- of Ash Wednesday until I was in my late 20s. (GASP! say the Catholics reading this.)
I -- and introvert first-class -- grew up in a rather sheltered life. I was surrounded by people like me in one or another way. I'm sure some observed Ash Wednesday, but I do not recall being exposed to ashes on foreheads while growing up. I just quietly (well, not always quietly) went about being a kid, going to school, occasionally doing Jewish things (more around my Bar Mitzvah, somewhat fewer before and after), and over time realizing Radio was my True Interest with most all of my focus on that.
I now know that one of my mentors in radio was Catholic. He, and perhaps others, no doubt observed Ash Wednesday, but I don't recall any smudges on foreheads -- at least that I recall.
Pretty much the same thing through college and a bit beyond. Then I moved, for a new job, to Dubuque, Iowa, where as I like to say 110% of the population is Catholic.
My first Ash Wednesday in Dubuque was confusing to me, as I ran into many ashen foreheads. I finally got around to asking someone, who probably was incredulous at my question. But I'm glad I asked a friend rather than someone who might have taken me out to be tarred and feathered. (At the time, I was a fan of Long John Silver's fast food, and I learned one could not get near the place during Lent. Oh, yeah, I was learning about the odd ways of Lent at the same time. Still don't quite get that today. But M and I were wise enough to go out for seafood (at a REAL seafood restaurant) last week ahead of the crowds.)
I wonder if something had changed over time -- "Thou Shalt Not Wipe Off Thine Ashes" or some such new commandment.
This entry was originally posted at https://garyomaha.dreamwidth.org/278549.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
I would like to share that I was not aware -- or at least fully aware -- of Ash Wednesday until I was in my late 20s. (GASP! say the Catholics reading this.)
I -- and introvert first-class -- grew up in a rather sheltered life. I was surrounded by people like me in one or another way. I'm sure some observed Ash Wednesday, but I do not recall being exposed to ashes on foreheads while growing up. I just quietly (well, not always quietly) went about being a kid, going to school, occasionally doing Jewish things (more around my Bar Mitzvah, somewhat fewer before and after), and over time realizing Radio was my True Interest with most all of my focus on that.
I now know that one of my mentors in radio was Catholic. He, and perhaps others, no doubt observed Ash Wednesday, but I don't recall any smudges on foreheads -- at least that I recall.
Pretty much the same thing through college and a bit beyond. Then I moved, for a new job, to Dubuque, Iowa, where as I like to say 110% of the population is Catholic.
My first Ash Wednesday in Dubuque was confusing to me, as I ran into many ashen foreheads. I finally got around to asking someone, who probably was incredulous at my question. But I'm glad I asked a friend rather than someone who might have taken me out to be tarred and feathered. (At the time, I was a fan of Long John Silver's fast food, and I learned one could not get near the place during Lent. Oh, yeah, I was learning about the odd ways of Lent at the same time. Still don't quite get that today. But M and I were wise enough to go out for seafood (at a REAL seafood restaurant) last week ahead of the crowds.)
I wonder if something had changed over time -- "Thou Shalt Not Wipe Off Thine Ashes" or some such new commandment.
This entry was originally posted at https://garyomaha.dreamwidth.org/278549.html. Please comment there using OpenID.