If you were raised in the Roman Catholic Church, you doubtless know that St. Anthony is the patron saint for recovering lost objects. I asked my very devout niece Paula about that this morning cuz i lost a tote bag on MAY 1, and although it had no wallet or credit cards or cell phone or anything that expensive to replace, it did have my most recent ADDRESS BOOK! and the newest Donna Leon Guido Brunetti mystery (half read and quite precious to me). I did all the right things: called places where I'd been on Monday, including CVS, and the local Metro Lost & Found. I've prided myself on finding lost objects by imagining how happy I'd feel when it was back in my hands. This has worked many times, but not as swiftly this time. Was mentioning this to Paula, and I asked her if St. Anthony was still considered the patron saint of lost items. Yes, she replied....lost souls (did she throw that in there for me?) and items. Then she told me a story about our wonderful late Aunt Trudy, who at one point lost her diamond. Trudy recited this prayer to St. Anthony: "Tony, Tony, Come around....Something's lost that must be found!" And she found her diamond in a SNOWBANK!
Leave it to Trudy. Anyway, I resumed my search for the tote bag this morning, and recited this verse several times.
And YES, I DID FIND THE TOTE BAG--at a CVS, of course, but not the CVS I'd originally thought. A different location three blocks away. Everything was there. THANKS BE for the address book!!! And whoopee for Donna Leon's The Waters of Eternal Youth. Dint have to spend another $16 to replace it.
So, thanks, Tony and Trudy and Paula. Nothing like Family!!!!
