Twinkle's Toes

Yesterday was Maundy Thursday, as many of you are aware. At our church, that means so many different things. It's a day that I never observed or knew existed growing up in the church that I did. Now, we're Episcopalians and boy do we observe!

We have quite a meaningful and moving service. Part of the Maundy Thursday service is a foot washing. Those who wish to participate go to the front of the Nave where there are pitchers and basins set up. Each person washes the feet of the person in line ahead of him.

Some of the women in our church have also developed the tradition of the "pre-Maundy Thursday service pedicure." So, yesterday, when I picked Twinkle up from school, I told her about the foot washing service and asked if she wanted to go get her toenails painted. She was all over it. I, of course, got the full on leg massaging pedicure, and Twinkle got to sit in the big pedicure chair, stretch her legs, and get her toenails buffed and painted.

From then on, she kept asking when we were going to the foot washing and couldn't wait to go. I reminded her that she would also be washing feet not just getting hers washed, and she assured me that she knew that.

When the appointed time of the service arrived, off we went. Third in line. When it was our turn, I went first, then washed Twinkle's feet. Then, the next woman in line came and sat down for Twinkle to wash her feet. Really all this entails is pouring water out of the pitcher over the person's feet and into the basin, then drying the person's feet. I assumed that I would be doing most of the work, but Twinkle grabbed the pitcher and while I helped support the weight of it, she poured the water over the woman's feet, then picked up the towel and started drying.

She was smiling and looking up at the lady the whole time. It was actually quite touching to see her do it. I was proud of her for being so joyful about it and not making any noises or comments about feet.

At the Natural History Museum in NYC, I saw a kid's shirt that had a picture of the solar system on it and next to the sun it said, "It all revolves around me." While I'd never buy such a thing for Twinkle, it did remind me of her at times. Most times? But not the glimpse I had last night. I went to the front of the Nave thinking "I wash this kid's feet daily." I went back to my seat teary eyed at the joy I saw on my daughter's face from having participated in this church ritual and, even more so, from washing the feet of another.