Ash Wednesday

Today's Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and I went tonight to get my ashes. I used to think that the phrase, "Remember, you came from dust and to dust you'll return" was almost like a threat, a reminder of our failures, but in the last couple of years I've come to see it as a reminder of the gift of being human. I spent most of my life trying to be "spiritual". At times, I even longed to be rid of this body so that I could go be with God. But the last few years has taught me the joy of being human. I love knowing that my "dust" is made of the same elements as the stars, as the dust of the earth, and as all of creation. Being "dust" reminds me that I'm one with all of the earth--all of the universe. You know, birds like being birds, rocks like being rocks, and trees like being trees. It's only humans that seem to hate being what they are. I LIKE being human. I like living on this earth in this earth suit. God incarnated in flesh, over and over in each one of us. God becomes physical in you and me. Dust is pretty grand!