Into the miraculous waters of Loudes

The baths at Lourdes appear from the outside to be so very ordinary. A simple concrete structure, with benches to sit on while waiting outside. There are people from around the world assisting us as we wait, men on one side of the facility and women in a separate area. Today, the wait was very short I am told, relative to the norm. It is cold here and even colder outside, it is raining, I can hear mass underway at the Grotto beside me, I am thinking about what has been previously told to me to expect....about the cold water....I am thinking quite simply about too many things. I am unfortunately being my normal self. I enter my private area to prepare to go into the baths, each one completely separate from another. My bath is staffed by 4 Itallian volunteers. I speak no Itallian, they no English. We have no problem communicating. I undress and am wrapped in a towel and I enter the cold water. I don't remember the cold, I don't remember the towel, I do remmeber us prayeing in advance, in the water and after. I remember the water on my face, my hair, arms and legs and I can't remember anything other than being their. My prayer was simple. I prayer for those who enter this water in Lourdes, I prayed for those at home who could not be here, I prayed for those who enter the healing waters of Mary's care through the rosary, and I prayed for faith for myself, to be more like the holy people in whose company I so often find myself in their company. I praid to be less like me and more like the person God would have me be. I believe in miracles. I think as I pray for my miracle God is asking me to make mine happen.