A lot happened yesterday. Here’s just a rundown of some things. It is in no way exhaustive of every experience yesterday –travel and otherwise– but it’s something. Hopefully I’ll get to some of that other stuff later tonight.
I’ve never been in another time zone before, and it’s kind of thrilling. I suppose I’m still a little jetlagged from the time change, but I managed to get up at 5:30am this morning (which, if we’re going by my internal clock, was actually 4:30am). We got in around 6:30 last night and, after a brief panic that Southwest had lost my piano, became acquainted with our transporter, Jinnu. He came for us specifically because he apparently had the only car in all of south Texas that could carry my keyboard (which, honestly, I have no problem believing).
Also worth mentioning: Jinnu, much like Dr. Zubin is one of these polished, handsome Indian fellows that looks like he just popped out of a Bollywood film. He looks like he’s in his forties and has these impressively maintained sideburns that make me suspect he’s out to kill Queen Elsa and conquer Arandelle, but he also listens to Jesus music in the car, which allays some of those fears. At any rate, he picked us up, and off we went into the beating heart of San Antonio.
The sky is different in Texas. Wider, somehow. You’d think the atmosphere would be pretty standard from place to place, but it’s an interesting thing to experience from the ground here as opposed to the ground in south Florida. It stretches like this great, yawning dome over the landscape and if you stare at it too hard it feels like you’ll fall upwards into it. That was my reverie as we coasted down the wide-laned highways and over the hills into the city.
If I had to describe the layout and traffic patterns of San Antonio, I’d say that it’s a mix of Fort Lauderdale order and Atlanta chaos. A perfect collusion of opposing forces. Kinda like me 😀
As I write this, I’m sitting in the downstairs master bedroom of a formerly agnostic home that’s been converted (see what I did there) to a convent for the Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a group of nuns from the province of Kerala in India. They have been good enough to open this place to me as a home for the duration of my stay.
I say “home,” not “house” because that’s what it is. From the second I stepped over the threshold of this abode, I felt completely comfortable. Completely at peace. Not like I was some sojourning stranger here for the week just to accomplish a task and then leave, no. Not even as if I were a guest of friends who has to mind her P’s and Q’s lest I offend somebody. Rather, it’s as if I’ve just come to visit family; as if I’m among a gathering of my aunts –of my own people.
I’ve taken to the environment surprisingly quickly. In truth, I don’t think I’ve so much entered this place as this place has entered me. I think that’s what makes it homey.
There’s much left to say and not much time left to say it in. Jinnu will be here shortly to pick us up and take us to the retreat house for work, but I’ll definitely have more for you tonight (granted I don’t fall asleep). I have other thoughts I want to get down before I fall victim to my unreliable memory again. Keep praying for me and I’ll pray for you all, too.
Until then, as always:
Carry on,
Martina