Surprising Question from an Unlikely Person

I’ll admit it. I’m not the most observant person…especially when it comes to remembering what people where wearing. (Ironically, I’m very much a visual learner.) I’ve always said that I would probably never be able to identify a criminal in a lineup or anything of the sort, because I struggle to remember the details of what someone might have looked like or might have been wearing.

I came face to face with this deficit of mine when having to describe to the police back in May (when my husband was still considered missing) what he was wearing when he left the house that morning. I honestly couldn’t remember. I was mortified that my memory lack might hinder the investigation. As it turned it, he was found anyway.

Interestingly, I have been wearing a very special pendant almost everyday since about a month after Chris died. It’s quite unique, and I had never even heard of this type of thing until the funeral home offered it as a service to me. It’s called a thumbie. Yes. A thumbie. Simply put, it’s an impression of a portion of my husband’s actual thumbprint. The funeral home offered to capture his thumbprints for me and keep them on file in case I wanted to capture it in memory form (via the thumbie) down the road someday. I did ask them to go ahead and do that, and I would look into it later.

It wasn’t much later before I ordered my own thumbie pendant. You have no idea how much comfort that is around my neck. It might sound silly, but it is such a treasure to be able to reach up and rub that little thing and actually feel the ridges of my husband’s print. What a treasure!

Like me…however…there are a lot of non-observant people in this world. Or – maybe they’re are just afraid to ask about it, because I’ve been wearing it since June, and I think I’ve only had 3 people ever ask me about it. Two of them happened to be within this past week. But, the most unusual conversation I’ve had about it was tonight…at a Casting Crowns concert.

Working for a radio station AND being shutterbug…I’ve had the privilege of being able to attend several station events as the photographer. Tonight was one of those nights. Casting Crowns is on their Come to the Well tour with Lindsay McCaul, The Afters, and Sanctus Real. I had the honor of being able to meet the various artists before the concert began. When it was time to meet the Casting Crowns members, I was beyond thrilled to meet the amazing songwriter, Mark Hall. Such a down-to-earth, humble man.

3 of the Casting Crowns members (lead singer Mark Hall in the center) with Jon Matthews and me

However, the most interesting conversation I had was with Juan DeVevo – guitarist and vocalist with Casting Crowns. He spotted my thumbie – kept staring at it actually and then asked the question, “What exactly is that  you’re wearing if I may ask?”

I thought he meant my station badge or nametag at first – ha! ha! – but, I quickly realized he was referring to my thumbie. I paused. Oh boy. I’m not often asked this question and certainly didn’t expect a Casting Crowns band member to even look my way long enough to notice my necklace.

And, so I shared. I told Juan what it was…what it stood for…and briefly that my husband went home to be with the Lord in May. I think I shocked him actually. That wasn’t the answer he was expecting, but he was so gracious with his response. And, I was so thankful that God gave me the grace to share about it without curling up into a ball of tears! He is so good to me!

You just never know who might be paying attention…

What a fun evening!

Me, Juan DeVevo, and Jon Matthews (I’m wearing the thumbie – you can see it if you look closely.)