I miscalculated the amount of ash would be produced from the leaves of the palms. Figuring I would need to burn maybe two or three palm fronds in order to get enough ashes I quickly realized that even an armful of palms reduced down to far less than a cup of ash. So I have been burning for most of the day and now that I have torched the last of the fronds I am still amazed at what is left. A garbage bag full of fronds reduces down to less than one ounce.
A lot of life, I am discovering, is this way. Like Cotton Candy there are things in our lives that are big and bulky, taking up an inordinate amount of room despite having virtually nothing as its foundational backbone. What happens when Cotton Candy gets wet? It almost totally evaporates. What happens when, in the case of the palm fronds, fire is applied? The remaining ash - what is left - barely weighs an once. What are the things in our own lives that are like the Cotton Candy or the bag full of fronds?
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Tomorrow is an opportunity to, along with the fronds, throw those big and bulky phantoms into the fire and see what they are made of as we begin this season of Lent.
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