A few days ago Uncle Ramon tried to take me to the Parque de las Cavernas. We got there around 1:30 just before it started to rain. We bought tickets for the Cave Tour and sat down to wait. Every single place we go my Uncle Ramon strikes up a conversation with people. He is a very social person. :)
While we were waiting it started to sprinkle and just as our number was called for the Introductory film before the actual tour it started to rain hard. Midway through the movie the power went out in the park and they told us that they couldn't let anyone go on the tour in the rain and that the park was closed for the day. I was bummed but Uncle Ramon said we would come back another day. Here is a picture of my Aunt Lucy and I while we were waiting.
Last night my Uncle wanted to take me to witness some "real Puerto Rican music" so we went to one of the local bars and listened to one of the local bands play a set. It was really great. I recorded part of it so that I could show my dad. I think he will really like it.
Today is Sunday and I went to my first ever Catholic Church service. It was beautiful. The blend of singing and preaching was nice and the obvious involvement of the people in the pews in the lecture was nice to watch and be apart of. We went to the Church of Orocovis, the same church where (I think) my dad was baptized and got his first communion. At the end of the service I got caught up in the group of people from my pew headed to the front to get communion and before I could sit back down in my seat the women behind me was ushering me forward to take communion. I looked at my Uncle Ramon and he nodded me to go ahead. I dont think I was supposed to take communion unless Ive been baptized and become a member of the church but in my defense I didnt know. After the service we went to talk to the priest and he blessed me. My Uncle Ramon asked me to get involved with the Catholic Church when I go back to school. I dont know if I will convert to Catholicism but I definitely want to learn more.
I dont think people necessarily label me as a religious person but thinking about it today Ive actually been involved in church for most of my life. When I was younger I went to a Christian church every Sunday. I helped with community service every Saturday in the 6-7th grades. I went to a Seventh Day Adventist school for both 6-7th grade and was actually baptized in that school when I was 13. Ive been around the Native American Church my entire life and took part in my first ceremony 2 summers ago. Ive known the traditional Navajo ceremonies every summer and when I was younger took a huge role in at least 2 of those ceremonies.
Religion has been apart of my life for as long as I can remember. Even though I dont go to church anymore I still appreciate the lessons the church teaches people. They teach you to be a good person, to be generous and to have faith. I know that when I have kids I will take them to church. I know what I believe and I think of myself as a good person. I think I owe alot of that to the churches I attended when I was younger. I learned community service, to appreciate all that I have, faith, morals and that I should treat myself and others with respect. I really enjoyed today because it made me think about all of this. I also really enjoyed being in the church and knowing that there was a small possibility that I could have been sitting in the same seat my dad sat in when he was younger. Small chance I know, but it still made me happy.
Also, I realize I havent posted an image of a food Ive eaten in a while so here is a cookie. It was thin, hard and delicious.
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