Pickled Okra

I recently started writing weekly reflections for a local mothers group, but I thought I'd share those reflections sometimes here, too. I have a longer version more like my usual detail-crazed self coming soon. Enjoy!

“I made pickled okra this week for the first time!! I just had to tell someone!”

I suppose you’re wondering why on earth I begin my first reflection for this group with such a random statement? I was wondering the same thing when a woman at my last church turned to me in the pew after Mass one day and began a conversation with this very statement. Especially considering I had no idea who this woman was, other than the lady who usually sits somewhere in the pews in front of me each week. Her husband was standing off to the side with a curious expression on his face. I wasn’t sure if it was the same shock and a little amusement at the exchange or a little bit of apology or both. Either way, what began as a simple statement about something she loved blossomed into a weekly progress report on that okra and a friendship was born.

I still to this day have no memory of what exactly it was that she made so I’m just filling in the blank here, but what stayed with me was her enthusiasm and joy. It was just bubbling over and had to come out somewhere! I just happened to be the innocent bystander. I will forever be grateful to this woman though because she taught me an important lesson. I had seen her around church and I loved her constant cheerfulness, I had just been too shy to strike up a conversation. I found out over time that she is that enthusiastic about everything in her life and it’s really contagious.

Fast forward a year, and we are still somewhat new to our current church. I knew I wasn’t going to develop friendships by just sitting in the pew, so I did much the same thing. I just started introducing myself to random people in the pews after Mass. The reactions ranged from excitement and long conversations to strange looks that seemed to say, “why are you talking to me?” As an introvert, it takes just about everything I have to initiate one of these conversations and I can’t always do it, but it is slowly bearing a lot of fruit in my life.

I have noticed in my short time here that there are many really great people, but there seems to be a lack of ways to connect at times. As we work together to begin this new ministry, my personal prayer is that we will be able to make meaningful friendships and mutually supportive connections within the context of this new group, but that we won’t stop there. That we will allow ourselves to be changed and encouraged by those new connections so that we can go out refreshed to build up the Body of Christ wherever we attend Mass, even if we do get a few funny looks in the process.

Thoughts for further reflection:

How can you really be present to someone new this week in your church community? Maybe a simple hello or asking how you can pray for another? Maybe consider sitting somewhere else this week so you can interact with someone new.