Monday, December 3, 2007

Redeeming the Mittens


This morning, it was 2 degrees outside (give or take a couple of degrees.) (Or, what's a couple of degrees among friends?) I have two full sets of wool mittens -- well, actually, now I have one set. I'm hoping that I left the other set at church yesterday.

Losing mittens or gloves is a very bad habit for me. I have lost full sets, but it is more common for me to lose one out of a set. Right now, I have one black and one white glove sitting on the mantle by the front door. I think there is one red glove somewhere also in the closet. I have still a small hope that I will find the other, but it's a very small hope.

Why even keep the singles? Sometimes I don't. I have sighed and tossed more single gloves than I care to count. But I haven't gotten there with any of these gloves yet. Give me time. Maybe it's laziness. Maybe a little wishful thinking. Maybe a little pity.

Single socks are sad, but there is something even sadder about a single mitten. We've all seen them, haven't we? On the sidewalk, in the street, in the parking lot of a discount store, single gloves destined never to find their mates. Somewhere, the partners of my lonely gloves are out there, never to be re-united with their mates.

They're so pretty, but they were never meant to be alone.

Like us.

Maybe that's another reason it's called "Faith in community."

by the way, the image is from here

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I love this.

Terri said...

Oh gosh, I have lost so many gloves or mittens, and always only one of them...yeah, I get this...sigh. I have learned over the years that I never find the one I've lost...which is a really sad metaphor for a priest...

but I don't take it personally....


well, then again, maybe I ought too??/

more cows than people said...

oh sister, i am shocked that i went into the closet a few weeks ago and found one pair of matching gloves. i don't know how long that will last.

now what happened to those gorgeous fleece lined mittens i bought last year... hmmm...

Jan said...

You reminded me of what it is like to live where it's cold. But you also gave a nice message about community. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I haven't lost that many...I usually just wear them out...but I have seen them scattered across town. But what a great way to think about community :)

Fran said...

I lose them too. And you know I got those high end ones the day I met you - when I returned the high priced handbag gift!

I hope you find them - we in my neo-pagan idol worshipping sect ask St. Anthony for help in finding lost things. I will speak to him on your behalf.

BTW- unrelated... I was online at a blogger's salon (oh what that must sound like!) tonight and the topic of lutefiske came up.

I wend and found your post about it and shared the link. I told them to not pick on you-so hopefully no oddball lefty bloggers leave unsavory remarks for you on the post!

Imagine. That lutefiske follows me around!

Diane M. Roth said...

well fran, I wondered why there were some links to lutefisk way back in august, but tonight.

but, 'tis the season, that's what I say.

go ahead and ask St. Anthony. or the patron saint of lost causes...because that's what I think most gloves are.

Lori said...

But, but but....*said the motorboat* if you have one black glove and one white glove, then they are not alone!! You have a pair and can wear them proudly! The same with socks.

In fact I think that is such a grand idea that I am going to mix up my Christmas socks this year and wear a different one on each foot!!

Diane M. Roth said...

PG, I thought of that. I'll have to check and see if they are for the same or different hands.

... now as for socks...

June Butler said...

Diane, excellent. I shed a tear or two for the lonely mitten.

You may remember that I did a post on socks.

Barbara B. said...

whoa! 2 degrees!

Lindy said...

Presbyterian gal lives in California where such things are not noticed.

I don't even have any gloves... not that I'd need them.

Hey, Diane, what I was thinking is that maybe you could sew a little name tag inside your gloves. Couldn't hurt.

Lindy

David said...

I know of a lady who collects "lonely" gloves and mittens and takes them down town to a shelter. Street people are very happy to wear odd gloves and mittens as long as they are warm.

I wrote a stroy about her once. I'll have to find it and post it one of these days.