May Crowning of our Sister Friend Mary...You Know...Jesus's Mom? :)

I was probably about seven years old the day I walked into our church (single file of course) with the rest of my classmates, when I had my first experience of being “high.” As an adult that is the only way to describe what happened that day, and why suddenly no one else existed. It was just Mary and me. I no longer felt “in body.” I no longer cared about playing around in the pews with my friends as usual. This day was different and I knew it the moment she “walked by” down the middle aisle.

She was carried somehow, by about 4 altar boys, in a way that she was standing. A life sized statue of her, “walked by” my aisle and my heart swelled. I remember thinking, “Her skin is so beautiful” as I got a peek of her left cheek. I was short (still am) and it was so hard to see over the heads that were closer to the end of our pew. I had no idea why we were there, but I knew it was special.

During the mass we sang many songs about her. All beautiful songs I had never heard, but tried to keep up with each time we were told what page on the Missal. (remember those?) Being only seven, it wasn’t easy, but I did my best. I just HAD to be a part of this!

Then it happened. We turned to the page of Bring Flowers of the Rarest and the old pipe organ began. Everyone sang while a lucky eighth grader had the privilege of crowning Mary with the most beautiful crown made of fresh flowers. I wondered how she got that job, and felt she was the luckiest girl alive. Already, at seven, I loved Mary so much and many times prayed to her when feeling sad, scared and lonely. The name of my school was Notre Dame (which means "Our Lady" in French) and we had our own life sized Mary in a gazebo in the middle of our school yard that I loved to just stare at and sit by.  (when no one was looking of course) I realized this was the way that we were going to thank her for always "being there," and I wished so badly I could have been that girl. I wanted so badly to know for sure that Mary knew how much I loved and appreciated her.

As everyone began to sing, the crowning ceremony began. I was again, standing, trying to look over heads, and trying to read/sing at the same time. I finally gave up on the reading and just let myself float away “into” the song and what was going on. The organ player played the chorus a few more times than usual so I was able to join in there each time. “Oh Mary, we crown thee, with blossoms todaaaaay. Queen of the angels, queen of the Maaaaay.” I sang from the depths of my soul. With each note I felt as if I was going higher and higher. If I floated away into oblivion at that very moment, I would have gone singing that chorus with a big smile on my face. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else existed.

A couple of years ago, in April, I called the church to see if they still have the May Crowning. The woman on the other line said it was a rare occasion and that they were not planning to at this time. She went on to tell me they do, however, have a statue of Mary with fresh flowers, etc., the first week of May.

I excitedly showed up May 1st. There at the altar was a two foot, all white statue of Mary, a teeny little fresh flower crown on her head, and some flowers around her feet. It broke my heart to think that maybe they never celebrate in the way they did when I was a child. At the same time, to be honest, I was a little relieved when the woman said they don't do it often. I wasn’t sure if I could have handled such beauty now. I worried that the anticipation, the looking to the back of the church as we did, waiting for her to “walk down the aisle,” would set off a panic attack. As I child I had no idea why I was there. As an adult, I would have been expecting to see and feel what I did over 40 years ago. Whoa…just the thought was overwhelming.

Last year I finally found the song that I "sang from the depths of my soul." The first few times I listened to it, I was right back to 1964 and I was right. As an adult, the overwhelming sensations were a bit hard to manage because I was now used to trying to “hold onto” this body. How things change…

This year I decided I would create my own May Crowning Celebration. May is Mary’s month, the month of my birthday, (I LOVED that fact as a child!), and spring is my favorite time of year. I invite you to experience your own connection to Mary, and her love for You.

You don’t have to be religious as she was not. You don’t have to be into organized religion, as she was not. I like to think of her and myself as being more about “BE-ligion” as well as being “BE-ligous.” Many are awakening to the Truth.

It’s a good day!  Happy May!