Big Thrill---No León!(Lion)

On the news today, I heard how well Sec. of State Hilary Clinton is doing in Mexico City in smoothing US relations with our southern neighbor, and that it was a huge plus that she went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe today on one of the hills above that amazing city. Considered to be the most sacred site in the Western Hemisphere in the eyes of the Catholic Church, I remembered my eyes taking it all in last Easter Sunday, which was March 23--a year ago this week.


So this time a year ago, thanks to the generosity of some of my children, I was having the time of my life in Mexico City, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Cruz Azul, among other places. The sheer joy of being there with my youngest son, Wayne, who had come home only a week before, after having lived there for two years, was out of this world. Meeting the humble people he had known and loved was simply without parallel! To witness the love and tremendous respect that the people had for him, and he for them, just pierced my heart. What else on earth could possibly even come close to that? I was deeply honored by the way they treated him/us.


Still, I have to admit each day was full of surprises and delights. Like a buffet of the most incredible desserts. Contrasts and juxtapositions of raw beauty/consummate impoverishment. Or is that consummate beauty/raw poverty? Ironically, sometimes the most dramatic beauty is all the more revealed in the midst of stark poverty/absolute barreness. Uncompromising reality.

Forever I'll remember the funky beauty of Xochimilco---cruising on the wooden boats on the crowded "floating garden" canals, the kayaking in the middle of the city at Chapulpectec Park surrounded by massive Jacarandas,the unique and ethereal waterfalls at Prismas Basalticos, the insanity of the traffic in Mexico City.


Did I mention the time this family who was trying to help us told us about a brand new hotel that had just opened up on the main street, and was supposed to be very reasonable? So we drove there, and it looked pretty nice for the area we were in. We parked in the underground lot, and Wayne went in to register. Pretty soon he came out with the guy who was showing him the room first, while I continued to wait in the car. They walked up the steps to the private entrance to our room. Impressive, huh? He came out a couple of minutes later, totally dazed. "I don't even know what all that was in there," he coughed. "This is a place that charges by the hour." We tore out of there. Who takes their MOM to a place like that? WHO does that?? Guess even Wayne doesn't know his way around all of Mexico!

Oh, and not to make him look bad or anything, but there was the night we needed cash, and so against all common sense in one of the most totally dangerous cities in the entire world, we find a strip mall in a seedy area(boy, was that hard---finding seedy areas), and find an ATM in a little obscure bank branch, and enter the tiny vestibule. Promptly, Wayne pulls the door tightly closed and locks us in for the night! Way to go, Superman! So we're banging and banging on the glass door to a)get someone to open the door and let us out, or b)attract the attention of a single bandito and get robbed, or c)alert the local gangs to the whereabouts of the most stupid gringoes in all of Mexico and get robbed AND killed. It took quite a while, and we were sweaty being caged up in there, but finally a) trumped. The stupid gringoes were back on the streets. Olé!

(I am definitely not going to mention the time I locked the keys in the trunk of the car and he was beyond ticked at me. He had to go be the hero and figure out how to get help, and it was beyond complicated for several reasons and took a couple of hours. I'm pretty sure he still hasn't forgiven me. In fact, that may well be why he moved all the way to Seattle. But this is MY blog, and I don't have to share all my blond moments.)

The most compelling highlight for me was the day we spent at Teotichuan, the unbelievable site of massive archaeological ruins on the outskirts of Mexico City. I had dreamed of going there for years and years, as I have all my life been fascinated by all things to do with Native Americans of any kind. Because Wayne(who had arranged our entire schedule)had planned this for Friday, not knowing it was Spring Solstice, it turned out to be the one day of the year which was the most heavily visited. God bless the happy accidents of life!

At first we didn't think we could make it through the crowds to even get our tickets. Then we just happened to be without enough pesos, and somehow some young friendly police officers came to our aid as we were leaving, and exchanged our dollars for us out of their own pockets. Entirely changed my attitude, as at first I was totally turned off to see busload after busload of armed police coming to the site, and I was distinctly underthrilled. Despite the throngs and throngs and throngs of people there, it is such a huge place, that such amassing was never oppressive.

To be there, at the Temple of the Sun, and to walk the immense plazas in the footsteps of generations and generations and generations so long gone, seemed to be a timeless journey. To climb the Temple of the Moon, and be there at its apex with all arms raised towards the sun at the moment of sunset was surreal...as if literally joined with the ancients. Take my breath away!

Beyond that, to my extreme delight, when we first started hiking in, we heard the hypnotic throbbing of drums. I was consumed with finding the source as it gave me goosebumps all the way to my very bones, and we followed the sound until we came upon a huge plaza, where the native dancing was electrifying, the costumes and drumming surely authentic. There were different groups, all of them seemingly oblivious to the crowds, just intent on their performance for the sake of that alone. It was hauntingly beautiful, not to mention exciting, exhilarating, enthralling... intoxicating!


I wish I'd not lost my camera and memory cards, but I stole some of Wayne's pix to compensate. We found out that afternoon that dancers only come to Teotichuan once or twice a year, and I'm just so grateful that the Universe conspired with Wayne and my kind sponsors(you great kids who made it all possible!)to allow me to experience this thrill of a lifetime. The whole trip was overwhelming, and the greatest gift ever. Mucho gracias! Mucho, mucho gracias...and then some!!!

Happy Birthday, Shane, you couldn't come last year on your birthday, so this year you have to settle for the virtual tour!!!

Priceless

Mine eyes are wet, and my face has turned to a pillar of salt from relentless tears since being drawn into this tender story.

I stole this link from Torrey for anyone who happens not to be able to get to her private blog. Too precious to miss.

http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/

You have to keep scrolling down the page. So worth it.

I warned you.

Torrey---shoot in Florida

This is one of the pix from Torrey's shoot in Florida a couple of weeks ago. About that time, or right after, she had an idea. And I just wanted to take a minute to thank her for organizing a family project that we have participated in this past week. I so admire her for her inspiration, thoughtfulness, and willingness to translate it all into action, that universal language. What a great heart! Thanks to the rest of the family for how they do what they do, especially with this effort. Love to you all!

"On Eagles' Wings!"-Home to My Arms 1 Year Ago

So our hero, L'il Wayne, has been home from his mission a year today! What a day that was, to have the whole family at the airport to meet him. I remember the absolute thrill to catch a glance as he came towards us---so handsome, grown up, and glowing. Was he not all that, and more? Could not grasp that such perfection belonged to me. To us.


And then the overwhelming joy and contentment that evening as we all were together. It was almost as though I was having an out of body experience to observe the family both as a group and as individuals, the entire dynamic was out of this world. The joy and love had no choice but to pierce my heart so it could burst open to make more room to try to contain it all. Smiles and tears are just so much leaking from all that inside flooding. No way does it get any better than this. No way!



As I savored every delicious moment, I remembered how near it came to not working out this way. When Wayne and I flew to Mexico City the following week, I had him drive me to the place where it came precipitously close to such a different ending just a few months previously. To the Chapel where he had driven one hot August evening on a quick errand.

As Assistant to the Mission President, he was responsible to set up for a special meeting that next morning with a General Authority. Taking the brand new van, and accompanied by the Secretary, he left about 9 PM to pick up tablecloths (evidently not for Relief Society only). After arriving, they opened the security gate and ran in to grab what they needed out of the closet, neglecting to lock the gate behind them. While rummaging around in separate rooms for what they needed, Wayne was suddenly aware of a couple of Mexican men in the building, and asked what they were looking for, how he could help them. One of the men started talking to him, and Wayne got a sick feeling, as the man asked him a couple of questions about who was there with him, about where the keys were to the van, and when Wayne turned around, he found a gun staring him in the face. The other Elder was pulled into the room with him and their wallets and valuables were taken in addition to the car keys. They were thrown to the floor and tied up, lying directly in front of the door. They were told not to move for 15 minutes, that they would be watched by other gang members and finished off unless they remained silent and immobile. The door closed. Immediately, it chilled him to hear the voice of the gang leader on the other side of the door give the order, "Tiro les!" (shoot them/kill them). Wayne tried to move his head a little, so as to keep the bullets from hitting him in the head, hoping he could survive being shot in the neck or shoulder. He braced for the inevitable.

A few weeks before he left on his mission, he had almost casually said to me with a smile on his face, "I don't think I'll be coming back, Mom. I have a strong feeling my life will end before my mission is over, and I'm cool with that. What better way to die than in serving the Lord." There was such a depth of serenity about him at that moment, that I was at peace as well, and we left it at that without another word. Although I was always hoping there was a Plan B option! And so there was. After an oppressive interlude, they literally dodged the bullet on that one. At least no bullets went whizzing by. For whatever reason. Wayne was able to extricate himself from being bound and then untie his companion. Looking out the glass doors, they saw figures in the dark out front, so raced out the back doors. I was struck when we were there about how daunting their escape had to be at this point. There was a sheer concrete wall about 9 feet tall, topped off by another 8 or 9 feet of chain link, surrounding the parking lot in order to keep the environs secure. No way could that afford them escape. But adrenalin plus angels? Who knows. Somehow they scaled the straight wall and found a small hole in the chain link and managed to get out and race a few blocks away to the safety of a pool hall. Of all places.

The patrons inside were supportive and let them call the police and President Castillo. Quickly a squad car pulled up, and the lone cop told them to get in. Wayne told the officer they needed to go to the Mission Home, per orders, as he entered the vehicle. But that sickening evil feeling came over him once again, and as he heard the "officer" tell him he needed to take them back to the Church to check on things, Wayne recouped and instructed the Secretary not to get in, as he himself bailed. They ran back to the sanctuary of the pool hall and waited for the real police to arrive (in hindsight, it was obvious that this was a set up, as it is so terribly dangerous in Mexico City to be a cop, that they are always in groups-at least two-for their own protection.) They returned later that night to the President to report, minus the brand new $30,000 van, but with their very lives.

Although President Castillo did want to inform me about this, Wayne asked him not to do so, as he was aware of an extreme crisis I was dealing with at home at the very same time, and he didn't want to add to the burdens already created. So it wasn't before the night we were leaving to fly to Mexico that he shared this experience with the family, and told me it was too late for me to change my mind about going--- we were packed. Hadn't even mentioned it when reporting to the Stake President, the High Council, or in the talks he had given that week in both his Las Vegas and California Wards. Having listened to him at all four opportunities, I thought I knew all there was to know, and I was so proud of how he had lived and conducted himself for those two years. The Stake President had even taken me aside, and told me that Wayne was truly extraordinary---that he felt so strongly about him, even not knowing him, that he was the one and only missionary he had written about in his journal when he had set Wayne apart before he left. He confided that Wayne would someday be a Stake President himself. I don't think he realized the extraordinary miracle it was just to have this young man alive at this point. The gratitude and joy I had felt that day at his homecoming almost a week prior to this revelation of his was multiplied a thousand fold when I realized how precious it is to have each other in this life, for however briefly or long we do (it's always going to be too briefly, no matter how long, isn't it?)


I have loved hearing the stories of the people he had loved and served. I loved going there and meeting them. I loved his willingness, his attitude, his actions for those two years. Not all of us choose to live so nobly. Did so living and loving help save his life? I like to think so. I loved that he was held closely in the hollow of God's hand, literally, maybe more than once. I loved Wayne going. And how I loved him coming home. He'll always be my baby. But, oh, what a man! What a man!

I DID IT!!!

So FINALLY I went yesterday and got pierced! Just a wild and crazy girl. My ears can now get all ornamented/decorated...like my daughters and granddaughters. Just trying to keep up with the big dogs.

I was talking to the store manager and her assistant who did it for me, and saying how it had taken me such an inordinately long time, blah blah, and the manager shared in amazement that she had just done a woman in her 30's recently! Like that was a world record. The way she said it was like I was nothing compared to that. I refrained from trying to take her temperature, and slowly, calmly said, "I'm 62." She practically fainted.(Her Mom is about the same age, and quite ill, so she must think 60s means nursing home/cemetery, but in reality 60s means COOL!)

Anyway, I just keep getting younger this way. 6 weeks to hoops and dangles!!! For now I just sparkle.... Happy Birthday, Mike! Hope this is your favorite present!