What adequate words are there to describe the love you have for a person who has loved you every moment of your whole life, before you were even aware? The only word I can come up with as my vision yet again blurs with tears is *grace*. It is all—every bit of it—grace.

A prayer for God will open my eyes to what treasures he has hidden in plain sight.

In the end, Lenten practices are about releasing what is lesser and opening your hands for a deeper, fuller experience of God’s grace.

A phrase I hadn’t noticed before in the story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8 reminded me of the deep goodness and gifts of growing older.