It's A Small World

I have been so busy that I have not been able to write in my blog because I have been busy preparing for a trip that is coming up soon. Something happened that made me feel that I needed to write my blog again. 

As I spoke with the clerk at my bank I mentioned that one of my stops would be in San Luis, Colorado. The teller sitting in the next cubicle said, "Oh, that is my home town. In fact I have many relatives that still live in the area." He mentioned a few towns and one of the small towns was Manassa. I said, "I used to know a couple that lived in that town. What is their name?" He told me the names of the husband, wife and three girls and I said, "I know that family!" I told him I had visited them at their home and met some of their relatives. Probably some of his family.

I told the teller that when I had volunteered in Mexico at an orphanage, the people who trained me were his relatives. I told him the the three girls were around five to seven years of age and he laughed and said, "All three of the girls are married and have children! We talked for about ten minutes and he caught me up on his family but he spoke mostly about his grandmother and she is related to the family I knew.

We both thought our world is a small world and what a surprise that he overheard San Luis and said something. He could have stayed quiet and we never would have known that I knew his relatives. He will be going to the area in about two weeks and will let my friends know he spoke to me.

My question was if he had ever eaten at the restaurant in San Luis and he said he had and that it was good food. Now I am looking forward to eating at Mrs. Rio's in San Luis.

Mariano Diaz is the name of the teller and I will look forward in seeing him again.

"Friendships will always last

no matter how much time has past!"

E. Moscoso

A Reunion

June 30, 2024

 Around the early to mid-1980's I met two persons that worked in the same building I did. We became good friends. Yearly we met around Christmas time to eat and exchange gifts plus going out to lunch during the time we knew each other. 

As time would have it we all went our separate ways and had not seen each other for at least twenty  years. Today the three of us met for lunch and to catch up on what has been happening in our lives. I parked my car and before long a woman parked beside.  I did not recognize her and thought it was a worker coming to begin her day at the restaurant. She got out of her car and came around to my car and said my name. Then I recognized my friend. She used to have black hair and now it was highlighted with blond streaks and that made a big difference.

We were greeted by a friendly waiter and he let us choose where we wanted to sit. Tables were covered with white cloth tablecloths and white napkins. When our other friend arrived we all embraced and our conversations took off. She looked pretty much the same but her hair was also highlighted. The restaurant has delicious food from the Puebla, Mexico area and if we thought we were going to eat Tex-Mex food, we were so wrong. I ordered a salad in a light tortilla basket and guacamole, chicken and bean filling. One friend ordered a large bowl of posole and the other ordered enchiladas in mole sauce. The dishes are beautifully arranged with a flower on the top. 

I took a booklet I had prepared from the past when we used to meet and we enjoyed looking at ourselves when we were younger. The diplomatic waiter said we still looked the same which made us feel great even though we didn't believe him!

"Friendship improves happiness and abates misery 

by doubling our joys and dividing our grief."

Marcus Tullius Cicero

God is Good!

 God is Good

Thirty-eight persons traveled to New Mexico from Spirit of Christ Catholic Community in Arvada, Colorado on a pilgrimage to Pecos, Santa Fe, Taos and Chimayo. Our first stop was The Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in Pecos. The Abbot welcomed us with "God is Good" and we answered, "All the time!"  He told us about the monastery and about his journey to become a priest, a monk and an Abbott. We were fed dinner and breakfast and the Benedictine Brothers made us feel at home. Mass in the beautiful chapel the next morning filled us with a peacefulness.

Our journey took us to Santa Fe and to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi where Theresa Garcia, the Madrina, who is responsible in dressing the Blessed Mother, showed us all the beautiful gowns. This is the oldest wooden statue of the Blessed Mother in the United States having arrived from Spain in the 1600's. The 300 plus gowns are donated by persons in thanksgiving or in answer to a prayer.

We saw the Spiral Staircase at the Loretto Chapel and the original nuns believed that St. Joseph had built the unusual staircase. We were scheduled to take a one hour and fifteen minute trolley ride and to hear about the history of Santa Fe. This is when the first "miracle" took place. No credit cards accepted, only cash for the $25 per person ride. I did not have that kind of cash and after talking, pleading, begging I was allowed to use a credit card and we enjoyed touring Santa Fe.

After a delicious lunch at La Cocina in Espanola, we arrived at the Hampden Inn Taos. I now know how Mary and Joseph must have felt when they were told there was no room at the inn. The young girl at the desk said, "We are sold out and I have no rooms for you." After a lot of discussions the next "miracle" occurred. The manager, Michael, found twenty rooms, at the best hotel in Taos and it is a 5 Star hotel! It took about four hours for arrangements to be made but around 9:45 p.m. we went to our spectacular rooms, each with a private jacuzzi! The rooms were huge, each patio had either Aspen trees, slopping grounds with green grass or ponds that we could enjoy. Two of the women ended up in a cottage and they loved it. All we could think was, God is good!

The Taos Pueblo made us feel thankful for all our blessings and found it difficult to understand how Native Americans continue living as in the past. They are trying to keep their traditions alive and live as their ancestors lived!

San Francisco de Asis is one of the most photographed churches and Georgia O'Keefe has painted the church. There is artwork inside and a beautiful statue of the Holy Family outside. We were shown the mystery painting that once the lights are turned off, people can see a dark cross in the picture. Some see the bow of a boat. When the lights are on, the eyes and the toes follow and seem to move with the person. We ate lunch at Ranchos de Taos Grill located on the grounds of the church! The amazing sopapillas were huge!

On Saturday morning we arrived at Chimayo, known as the Lourdes of America, because miracles have happened in the area. There is a small room with the "holy" dirt that is known to cure illnesses. Fr. Roca, the priest who would greet us in the past and has now passed away, told me, "That is dirt, what cures people is their faith!" There must have been around 400 or more persons waiting for a pilgrimage coming from Albuquerque that would end in Chimayo. A mini-miracle was watching our bus driver maneuver through the many cars in the parking lot. We left the bus and waited with the crowd for the procession to arrive .When they arrived they were singing, wearing shell necklaces, white t-shirts and we heard many shouts of Viva Cristo Rey and Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe! I saw the Archbishop in the middle of the pilgrimage and he would  be celebrating mass outside under a large tree.  It was exciting to be part of their 100 miles in 100 degree weather as we joined their joyous pilgrimage! I wondered if it was part of the Eucharistic Procession that came through Denver.

Our mass at 11 a.m. took place in the Santuario, (small chapel), and my group was filled with holiness and spirituality as they worshiped in the small chapel surrounded by the beautiful art work.

Without God our pilgrimage could have been a disaster but He watched over us so we could have a successful pilgrimage, and I repeat, God is good!