December 12 is the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is such an important Mexican icon, that she gets a bank holiday. For me, she is the feminine expression of God. I was raised Catholic and walked away from that dogma in high school. Somehow I have found a way back.
As I have aged, I have found my way to a less intellectual God and more to a heartfelt appreciation for creation. Guadalupe is my sister, friend and mother. Her presence adorns my house in every room.
I am reminded of her holiday by the presence of the Guadalupanas (pilgrims) along the highway. They mostly ride bicycles adorned with her image and the red, white and green of the Mexican flag. They ride in clusters with matching shirts, often in sandals. Sometimes there is a support vehicle, sometimes not. I’m not sure of their destination, perhaps Tulum which is two hours by automobile.
I wonder what the pilgrims’ stories are. Is their motivation a petition or gratitude for a prayer answered? The site of her original apparition is outside of Mexico City. We visited in 2017. Twenty million visit annually with nine million around December 12, her feast day.
DOS TORTAS
This week my dear Aunt Irene died. She was 100 and devout Catholic. Guadalupe surely welcomed her with open arms.
the adventures of dos tortas 
What a beautiful post . Thanks for sharing . I have a new female “ God “ image to explore now .
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Glad you enjoyed it.
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This is so sweet, Alex – are you all settling in? I hope so…I am so happy you had your reunion😊 Is Alice ok? She told me she has been ill. I can only imagine how difficult all of this is for you. Please know I am sending love – Lorrie
Lorrie Jones
Simple Serenity
simpleserenity.comhttp://simpleserenity.com/
253.312.3117
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She is on Messenger and would love to hear from you.
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Thank you for sharing this beautiful post. You have inspired me to learn more about her. Beautiful images in your home.
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Much is written. Visiting the basilica is a life altering experience. I was there in 1974 also. A lot has changed.
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I was not raised Catholic and I’m totally not religious. But I love the Virgin of Guadalupe. I’m shaking up my life a bit here, hopefully heading down the road in March to roam around for several months. I’m looking for a small Virgin to sit on my dashboard and take the trip with me.
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Liam was also raised a Catholic and he too walked away from it in his teens. I was raised more or less a heathen – more a cultural Christian than an actual one! 🙂
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