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I had no idea I was about to experience a miracle.

I was having a bad day and it had just gotten worse. Immeasurably worse.

It didn’t start out that way. Early in the morning I had driven Modgirl to her rehearsals for a concert she was playing that night. It was a very special concert for her in a band that she had spent many hours practicing just to audition for. Competition was stiff and when we heard that she had made the band I was so proud of her, and I was excited to listen to her play that evening. It was going to be a good day.

I won’t go into details of how the day fell apart from there, because I have done quite enough whining lately. Let’s just suffice it to say that it involved disappointing news about a possible trip, one sick child, one child who refused to nap, half of a favorite book missing, muddy shoes, cat barf in the school room, sand on the train table, mud in the carpet, peed bedding, and poop in the bathtub. And that was all before noon.

So I got my little crew, consisting of JBug(6), Squirt(4), and JackJack(2), ready to go to the concert. (Superboy stayed home with a stack of Netflix, too sick to get off the couch).Without my 2 biggest helpers by my side, I knew it was going to be a difficult night keeping three wiggly little ones still and quiet during the concert. But Modgirl assured me it was only a half-hour long program, so I figured I could handle it.

We arrived at the concert hall right on time (woo hoo!), but they were a bit behind schedule and the previous band was still playing. I will spare you the long version, but it involved waiting in the lobby, waiting in the concert hall, listening to a couple of songs from the earlier band, visiting the bathroom, multiple trips to the water fountain, and going outside for a run. For a total of 45 minutes! When it was finally time for Modgirl to play, JackJack flat out refused to re-enter the concert hall. In the lobby he screamed and yelled and pitched a royal fit. I persevered and finally got us into our seats. But in the 5 minutes between the seating and the start of the program he started up again and despite my best efforts I had to leave. In the hallway he “roared his terrible roars, and rolled his terrible eyes and gnashed his terrible teeth.” He was the original Wild Thing.

The doors closed and the concert began. With Squirt and JBug still inside.

I was in a miserable state, let me tell you. Try as I might I could not soothe the boy. When I even suggested he calm down so we could go back in he screamed all the louder. My little ones were alone in the concert hall and I couldn’t go in with a screaming 2yo, and I couldn’t leave him alone in the hallway to go in and get them.

And I was missing the concert. A special concert. One of the last concerts I would be able to hear my beautiful Modgirl play before she heads off to college in the fall. Oh, the unfairness of it all! It was more than I could bear.

That’s when I fell apart. Right there in the hallway with people wandering by I began to cry. Sitting on the floor, rocking my crying grandson on my lap, my tears fell right along with JackJack’s. And under the tears came the whispered words “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee…” Over and over I chanted my prayer, desperate, begging Our Lady to somehow lift this burden from me. Mary, look with pity and see how very hard I am trying. Please look after my babies and grant me a miracle, that I might get to hear my own dear Angel play her music.

And that’s when a tall, elegant-looking woman stopped in front of me. I don’t know who she was, but she knelt down, handed me a tissue and said, “I have a son. I know how you feel. It does get easier.”

I looked up to her, wiped my eyes and said, most pitifully, “I just want to hear my daughter play,” and burst into tears again.
She responded, “I would watch him for you, but I know you’d never trust him to a stranger.”

Then she pulled a large pack of Juicyfruit gum from the pocket of her long woolen coat and handed it to me. “See if this helps. And you have some too.”

I choked back the tears and thanked the woman and she walked away. I pulled out a piece of Juicyfruit and gave it to JackJack. He put it in his mouth and gave me a cautious smile. The tears stopped and he laid his head on my shoulder. When that piece was gone he asked for another, his face showing that the unsteady peace was about to break. I gave him another and he smiled again, this time more confidently.

I tried a piece myself and the sweetness of it made me feel a bit better, stronger. I stood up and took a chance. Approaching near, but not entering the auditorium doors, we sat on the steps leading in, and I could hear the music! It was lovely. Oh, how I wished I could go in!

More gum, more smiles, more waiting and listening for a break in the music before I took my chance again. When I heard the applause I opened the door and went in. I found JBug and Squirt in the arms of a dear old friend who had moved far away a few years ago. They were smiling. I sat next to them, feeding JackJack small pieces of Juicyfruit to keep him calm.

The next song was about to begin. I prayed, “Lord, please  keep him quiet just a bit longer. Let me hear just one song and I will be happy.”

The conductor lifted his baton, JackJack rested his head on my shoulder, and I was able to hear my daughter play. The song was Ave Maria. And I cried once more.

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