Lucky

I have one fabulous family, I do. Half of that family resides in the United States, each person representing a very specific and important part of my 20 years. Another half resides in Ecuador, and provides a large portion of my comfort and happiness during this 5 month trip abroad.

Today we woke up early for mass, my first mass in Ecuador. All of Lupe’s sisters were there with spouses and children. We prayed together, sang together (I lost myself in humming harmonies for lack of words), stood together, listened together, kneeled together, and held hands during the Lord’s Prayer. I got a hug and a kiss from each member of my family here, and a blessing of peace and happiness for the day.

Peace comes in so many forms. Worship, too. My spirituality shows itself as I sway with the waves of Lake Payette, listening to the water splash against the dock. It emerges when I am driving the long stretch from Salem to Boise, alone with my thoughts, my music, my voice, and the beauty of the Rockies. I feel it when my friends at Mensajeros greet me with a hug instead of a closed fist. It catches me off guard sometimes when I can’t seem to get a certain song out of my head. It found me in the caves of Saraguro in the language of Quechua, which I neither speak nor understand. It sweeps over me when I think about the millions of reasons I am lucky in this lifetime, and the millions of things I have yet to do and see. Peace and worship and spirituality for you in this day.

After mass we picked up Anyel (she ran a 10k this morning!), and headed to the country for lunch with the whole family. We played basketball, and managed to squeeze in a couple rounds of Ecua-volley before the wind and rain shooed us under cover. We feasted, laughed, shivered, and enjoyed the company of loved ones. This family is so, so welcoming and warm to me, and were equally fabulous with Anyel today. I feel like I am being myself with them, which has been so hard to do while I struggle to express who I think I am in this foreign language and place.

I love my life.