Page 18 - THE BOOK BREEZE 1

A Mystical Morning

by Sherri Brody

The Sun was busy painting streaks of red across the sk when I
awoke, the vibrant hues streamed through my bedroom
window. From my patio, I watched as the bursting sunrise spilled out over the Sea of
Cortez, its shimmering reflection making bright white sparkles on a gray-blue wash. A
typical sunrise. I walked down the short side street off Mar de Cortez Norte, the road
leading to Campo Uno from the baseball stadium. A bougainvillea tree pregnant with
bright fuchsia blossoms greeted me as I crossed the street to start my trek, passing
the Hotel San Borja, Rueben’s Camp, and Kiki’s Hotel as I rounded the bend. All
along the way I caught glimpses of my beach, the beach I’d come to cherish wheth-
er in low tide, high tide, or the dangerous Kings Tide. The journey took me past a
one-story white hotel with a restaurant that never seemed to be open. The resident
cats are mostly calico and tortoiseshells. One friendly calico greeted me, so I sat on
the sidewalk to offer her a lap. The cat in the lap delayed my walk only slightly, but
soon the dogs guarding the nearby homes began barking incessantly, blasting the
neighborhood with the first beacons of the morning. Soon I spotted my destination, the
Cerrito de la Virgen Guadalupe near the lighthouse, with its shrine atop the hill, a site
frequented daily by those wishing to light a candle or say a prayer. Even at this early
hour, a few locals – a middled -aged woman and her son - passed me on the steps as
I climbed. We took a moment to exchange greetings; their smiles beamed with kind-
ness. At the top of the stairs sits is a narrow walkway for viewing. It encircles a small
room with a statue bearing the likeness of the Virgin inside. She sits at the back of the
room looking outward
toward the town where
visitors can see her
and offer their prayers.
The walkway winds
around the room on
three sides, affording
stunning views in every
direction. A strong met-
al screen protects the
statue preventing any-
one from entering the space and desecrating it. Many people leave silk flowers and
candles on a ledge just outside the screen. But on this particular morning, I noticed
that a small square hole about a foot wide has been cut out from the bottom of the
screen and a burning candle placed just inside. So desperately had someone wanted
the Virgin to hear their prayers,
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