The idea of making a pilgrimage has always had a special meaning for me.
Though the language I use may be different,
as in
‘making a round’,
‘making a vuelta’,
or
‘going exploring’,
the intention is the same.
I am looking for something soul-related.
The important people in my life know this about me.
Once, when shuffling my feet and stumbling through
a confession of sorts to my priest (Episcopalian)
about my absence from church,
he said,
with an absolving smile on his face,
he knew where I was.
I was at the flea market.
Years ago, when my mother died,
I ‘looked’ for her in these familiar destinations, these pilgrimages:
the flea market,
Retacera, the fabric store she loved in downtown McAllen,
the chair in her living room.
Just a few weeks ago, one of her favorite vendors at the flea market stopped me
with a big smile and began by saying,
“tú mamá.”
And so on my recent pilgrimage to Dallas
to deliver the turquoise dresser to Daughter #3,
and after a visit to Canton,
I stopped in Athens , Texas at the Goodwill.
It was there I found
La Peregrinación,
(the pilgrimage)
a painting by an artist in San Miguel de Allende,
my favorite place in the world.
The painting depicts pilgrims
making their way to the shrine of
la Parroquia,
which sits on the square in San MIguel.
This unexpected find of a special treasure
all made perfect
soul sense
to me.
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