trials of the heart and spiritual bouquets

No. not me persay but trials that others face... before they cross your path.. what cross have they had to carry that day.. before crossing your path?
Nobody really knows what the other person has been through prior to their meeting.
You can sympathize with someone else but until you have been in their shoes can you empathize? Empathy is highly underrated... it goes without saying, I think.

**this entry is prompted by Janice from 5 Minutes for Mom.
***
My sister-in-law is creating something called a spiritual bouquet. She did it once before for a great aunt and is currently making one for some young seminarians to welcome them to our diocese. What is this bouquet you ask? Well, it is for the person that has everything... even the person who is economically poor but spiritually full. Follow me? Well, with this bouquet you fill it with those things that are completely out of your power, out of your control (like we can totally control anything- yea, right... lol!) You can also fill it with annoyances or those things that you would think "I am giving this up to God." Ever heard that saying? You let Him carry that cross for you.. He already has but you finally get it when you give up or reliquish the power to Him. So what my SIL is going to do is make this list and give it to the seminarians to show what we have given up all in the name of God.

Well, back to the bouquet and paths being crossed... Yesterday at Mass I saw this lady again.. weary, carrying a 6 month old on her hip, trying to keep up with her small son (found out he is 4) and pay attention to Mass. I have seen her before... trying to keep up and follow along- she gets so exasperated.. I can empathize... I am in the back of the church because my Mr. T can't sit still without wanting to charge to the front. Although this might be cute in theory it is far from what I want to happen... so in the back I stay, trying to keep up with him and follow Mass. It was REALLY full yesterday- lots of First Holy Communions. Well, Mr. T was checking out everyone's goldfish and sippies... I had to take him outside just to regroup.. I go outside and there is a little boy sitting in the middle of the walkway leading up to Church- no parent around. This makes me nervous.. I see her.. she sees me... I look again at her son.. I feel so sorry for him.. it's so difficult to stay still when you are little and there is no nursery to run around in.... I can't believe it.. she walked back in church! I was shocked.. being a former teacher and paranoid parent I kept a close eye on him... She popped back outside and motioned to him to get up.. he starts to play again... Instead of judging and letting the better part of me freak out I gave this up for the spiritual bouquet. I don't know what crosses she has had to carry that day, week, month or even year..
I asked her, "do you want me to watch your son so you can pray?"
She says, "well, if you're going to be out here anyway..."
I was left with this young lad... we talked and I got him to come a little closer to where I had my son... He's just a little guy.. Being a mom I know we can look at these little people and expect so much.. but we as the adult need to remember that they are little people... I gave up part of my Mass so that she could have a brief moment to pray in silence, not wondering if her son was throwing Matchbox across the vestibule or running around other babies...

Everyone had their cross to bear just then..
trying to pay attention
trying to focus
trying to be a Mom
trying to be a son
but what were they before our paths crossed?

finances
relationships
failing health
home life
past relationships
faith or lack there of
whatever the cross is.. everyone has them and to them they are the biggest... until they compare to someone else who is going through so much and still has faith. Amazing faith.

so, what would you put in a spiritual bouquet? What is under your skin you are ready to give up... what annoyed you today that made you think it just wasn't going to be a good day? Anything??? What complaint did you have for your day?
Unload in the comment area and let's create a spiritual bouquet to give to someone else.