Grace

I don't remember where I learned my favorite prayer, but I associate it strongly with the Quaker community in Columbia, SC. The idea is this: What does grace mean to you today? Before this year, I mostly used this prayer as a pre-meal blessing. Lately, I like to use it as a way to reflect on my experiences. It's interesting to me what unexpected answers I have to this simple question.
One of my more frequent answers lately has been a name: Vero.
When I first arrived at my work site in 10 de Abril, I offered to "help" her in the kitchen to fill in the gap left by an employee on maternity leave. I'm not much help, I'm afraid. I frequently spill things. I dice things I'm supposed to cut into strips. I put potatoes instead of peas in the rice. I'm a mess. I surprise myself every day with the new ways I invent to wreck breakfast.
Vero's response is invariably, "Esta bien." No problem. Don't worry.  Even when the mistake can't be corrected, Vero doesn't seem to be bothered. She moves through the small, hot kitchen with grace, quickly finding solutions and moving on with the morning. She is consistently the human embodiment of the forgiveness that I need, but don't know how to ask for. She is my grace.