a journal she made. Each page has a quote pertaining to a sacred journey: "a feeling of longing for newness after finding oneself at a crossroads, encountering disappointment, which is inevitable on a journey, facing the choice to let go of expectations or to retreat, unexpectedly encountering the sacred," and "entering a new compassionate space."
I've written in this journal just about every day so far. It's truly a special gift, and definitely one of the things I brought that I plan on guarding intently (along with the Bible everyone at Six-Day signed, the cross necklace Fr. Tom presented to me at church, the 'courage' charm my mother gave me, Oh, the Places You'll Go! from Liz and Chris, Because of You from Julie and company, and my turtle necklace from the shop on Newberry Street that Jude got me).
Today's quote in the journal is by Phil Cousineau: "Journeys...swerve and turn, twist and double back, until we don't know if we're coming or going." I certainly can relate to the language of these words because sometimes I feel mixed up and I don't know what I'm doing next. This comes from not completely understanding the language, but last night I was sitting around the table with Eduardo, Marjorie, Rafael, Adriana, Pablo, Erica, Camilla, and Amelia and it hit me--I knew what they were talking about! I was comprehending the conversation, and I had forgotten entirely that they were speaking a different language. That was such a gift. For me, it was a first step in growing into the culture, language, and my family.
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The city has gone bonkers!
Ecuadorians are celebrating their country's Bicentenario: 200 years of independence from Spain (August 10). Crowds swarm as events are happening throughout the Centro Historico (Historic District). I had the chance to go to a concert in Plaza de San Francisco on Saturday.
Ecuadorians are celebrating their country's Bicentenario: 200 years of independence from Spain (August 10). Crowds swarm as events are happening throughout the Centro Historico (Historic District). I had the chance to go to a concert in Plaza de San Francisco on Saturday.
We heard five bands perform, and during one (when I took the picture to the right) I surely encountered the sacred. Beautiful music filled the plaza, the sky glowed pink and blue, and I skipped to one of the last steps from Gail's present. Like Moses at the burning bush, I wanted to take off my shoes to respect the sacredness of the moment and the space (Exodus 3:2-5).
I can't truly express the beauty of this evening or this part of the city. You will have to come down and visit me to find out for yourself.
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Coming Soon...
I've had amazing food every day since I've arrived, so I've been taking pictures to post something about typical dishes in Quito.
If you haven't checked out my photos, I'm always adding more. Use the link in the top right corner of the page.