I am not a religious person. Although Semana Santa is my heart and my soul I don't really agree with much of the politics and economics of the Catholic Church. I've been through phases of devout Catholicism to the core but yet find myself more and more agnostic...I'm not going to preach to you one way or the other because religion is a confusing and controversial topic and to be honest I don't even know where I stand. I don't even want to know where I stand. But let me tell you about this past week.
The weather channel has said everyday that it is supposed to rain. I wake up in the morning greeted by cloudy and drizily skies. All looks lost until 4:00pm rolls around and the first processions are going to start. While the brotherhoods are worrying about cancelling the procession in order to avoid ruining the clothes and float that costs thousands upon thousands of dollars, the sky magically clears up. I'm not talking about the rain stopping either, I mean the clouds part and blue sky pops through. This has happened everyday of Holy Week.
This morning I was headed to Seville. Key word: was. My alarm never went off so I woke up ONE MINUTE after my train left. Weird coincidence I guess. I looked up times and noticed the the next train didn't leave until 11:30. I walked down to the train station, getting soaked by the rain and a breaking umbrella. I waiting in the long line and just as I was about to get a replacement ticket (I was next in line), a man came out of the backroom and asked if I was going to Seville. I looked at him surprised and said yes and he informed me along with everyone else in line that the train was completely full. Another slap in the face by fate. I got my ticket for the 3pm train and sadly sulked home, dissapointed and frustrated. Dampened by the rain, I entered the house, discouraged and called to cancel my reservations for my hotel since it is suppose to rain all week and the floats don't happen if it rains. Unfortunately today and tomorrow are official holidays so I cannot call anyone to cancel the reservations....I'm lucky I know.
I hang up, upset, and Lola walks in the door, the sister of my host mother. She talks to me about her religious experiences and about how she wore the same dress with the same veil every day for a year in order to get better. She talked about the women who wear the chains, about her olive branch, and about her Catholic faith. She left after a bit and Noni approached me after seeing my interest in Lola for my project and asked if I would like to speak with a very close friend of hers who is a nun. An 80 and some odd year old nun who talks for hours upon hours....As she said this light poured through the window and I later came to find out the rain had stopped from this morning. It's really weird how things have been working out this week. Everything seems to go wrong but then just falls into place. The other API kids are noticing it too.
Could this be divine intervention? Coincidence? Fate? All I know is that everything happens for a reason and today my ideology pulled through. Wish me luck in Seville...I'll be there until Easter. Leaving you with one of my favorite pictures as I rush to finish this before I miss my third train.
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