Pardon my ESOL

On Friday , I followed the Via Crucis, all 14 the stations, with Pope Francis , the prayers and the messages of a convict, a mother, a daughter, a wrongly convicted, a judge, testimonials of people living their own calvary.

I was Impressed and deeply emotional following the message, especially the moment of Jesus death, my heart skip a beat, and I was breathless for a moment, I dropped on my knees, crying, perhaps for all the suffering on the cross, but also for our nation and the world.

My faith grows as I get older, even knowing is an imperfect church, I profess my Faith to the Catholic Church.

My religion is an inheritance from the Spanish conquistadores, Peru my country is mostly catholic by tradition, I heard that my mother who I barely met, because she die when I was 4, was very strict to the old traditions, praying rosaries, fasting, Holy Week was days and days of mourn in the house.

I am catholic because it feels right, As a kid, the kids on my neighborhood all joined the local church chorus , it was called “dust angels” nothing I wanted most than Sundays, when we could get into this beautiful hooded, like blue tunics, entering the church , side by side with the priest, to sing for our local church mass. I could not sing, actually I am a terrible singer, but that never stopped me from singing.

Miss Elsa and Professor Juan, they are the mentors I never got to thank, for including me in their project, in their passion for music and to encourage kids to believe in God, stay out of trouble, I learned to play a little accordion while participating in the chorus and Also in the “Tuna” , not the fish but a musical group, this name comes from Spain, a Tuna Studiantina, is a group from a university who plays instruments and sings as they walk, the tradition comes from the 13th century and they usually wear the traditional university emblems and capes, and is very animated. I like this video, although I encourage you to check the “Tuna de Valladolid”

If it wasn’t from them, I probably wouldn’t feel the way I feel about religion, because after my mom die, my dad didn’t practice any religion at home, never went to mass, so the conviction of having a father in heaven who watches, protects me and is waiting for me at the end of my days was mostly influenced by my friends in the neighborhood.

Later in life, when my dad was older, he joined us, in our sacraments, our kids sacraments and attended mass with us. The next video made me think of him;

My dad baptized us all

I stayed in my church because I get inspired , because my relationship with God, his Son and the Holy Spirit have always being pure, and personal, I know I am loved and I am an instrument of his love. I believe in the power of the risen son of God.

F8 Journeys is a life philosophy, all these elements that I am tirelessly sharing since 2015 when I had this vision, seating in a pew in church, when I was in despair, husband was lay off, I lost 90% of my business, I was betrayed, I sat and draw a circle in the Sunday’s church paper, meaning a whole, I did not wanted to be broke, and I wrote the things that fulfill my heart and life, all these 8 hashtags in F8 living, are a simple reminder that Life, is what we make, what we believe, what we give, what we eat, with whom we spent time, what we do, who we praised, what we enjoy.

How is your F8?