Macheros Day 2

 Adventure, Plot Twist, and Cottage Tours

We went to bed excited that we didn’t have a schedule to adhere to until the 4pm Cottage Tours !  As it turns out, there were a few of us who were determined to go home with Mexican made pure vanilla.  If you don’t already know, Mexico is known for having the best pure vanilla!  Lori talked to Joel (pronounced Ho-el) explaining that we wanted to shop a little in town, buy some vanilla, and I wanted Coca-cola.  At first we thought we were getting a cab but it turns out Joel accidentally called his brother, Rogelio, who insisted on taking us.  The events that are about to take place is the epitome of “lost in translation”.

…and it went a little like this…

Lori to Joel, “We’d like to do a little shopping, but specifically we’d like to purchase real vanilla.” ( and lets not forget Melissa’s Coke!) 

Joel, “Yes, of course we can do that for you!”

Rogelio, “¿Estás listo para una aventura de tu vida?”

What we heard was, “Ladies your chariot to vanilla and cola awaits!”

And away we went trusting this stranger with our whole lives!!

As we passed all the shops our curiosity started to pique as to where Rogelio could possibly be taking us.  About an hour and a remote road later Rogelio proceeds to point while uttering words that clearly resembled the American words, “armed forces” “firearms”…without hesitation Beth blurts the question we were all thinking…”Are you kidnapping us”.  

I mean how can you NOT think that when you’re passing armed forces everywhere you go???  We couldn’t decide if it made us feel safer or fear for what would call for such protection! I must admit, my heart pounded just a smidge and I found my brain went 100 miles an hour through any red flags or warning signals that I could have ignored or been naive to!

Looking back, I’m so glad Rogelio Moreno had a good sense of humor!  Because when he stopped in front of this old jail looking building that was “guarding” a chain linked gated fence 😳I think I heard somebody say, “911 doesn’t work here”. But I can’t be certain because my brain was slow to process what was happening!!  

All I could do is laugh. Gallows Laugh, it gets me every time!

We were then made to get out of the van and go sign our names in a book inside that dark old jail looking building.  Where the heck were we???  Rogelio just laughed at us telling us to pay the guard 100 pesos or maybe it was 20…I don’t know, things are still a blur. What were we giving the “guard” pesos for??? To steal us? 😂  Now I understand how it happens. How unsuspecting I actually am…it’s official…I’m naive…how did I not know??!!!   Sooo up the hill we climbed like we were graciously accepting our fate to whatever gods we were being sacrificed to…likely which ever gods take 50 and 70 year old non virgin women! 🤔.  Come to think of it…I’m pretty sure we had nothing to worry about! 

San Felipe los Alzati-Zirahuato

 Click the title for an arial view

Photo credit  for the rest of the blog goes to Sue Purcell, Lori Smith, Beth Doerr and Me I hope I didn’t forget anyone

 

So as it turns out, Rogelio was neither kidnapping us nor was he sacrificing us to the gods that would have us (I’m sure they’re all terribly disappointed).  No, he was showing us the San Felipe pyramids in Michoacán, Mexico!  Little did he know that every one of us were terrified of heights!  So when we reached the first set of steps we were all like,..uhhhh…that’s a little much.  Not me!!  I was like…”YEHA, I’m do this and won’t my boys be proud???”  I practically ran up those steps.  Gloria and Sue followed while the rest of the girls were waiting for the “Yes it’s safe! Get up here!” signal!  

With all of us at the top patting each others back for their sheer bravery of overcoming said fears (take note of my fear conquering pride in the picture below)..Rogelio pointed to something that took overcoming fear to new heights!!  

To a couple of us this was a challenge accepted while the rest were perfectly satisfied with original accomplishment of fear overcome!  

As terrified as I am of heights, all I could think about was,”Won’t my boys be so proud of me!!!??”  I knew if I thought about it I could talk myself out of it.  The last thing I remember was thinking,  “I have to do this fears be damned!!” and without hesitation I RAN up them steps on all 4’s!!!  About 3/4 of the way up my heart started pounding and my legs started shaking uncontrollably when I realized that my body and brain did not consult the depth of my fear before rushing into this decision. The conversation in my head went like this… 

“Whatever you do just keep going”.  

“Don’t think about looking down.”  

“It’s too late to do anything but keep going.”

“Legs keep moving”  

“Brain stop thinking”

“Just go go go…don’t stop.”

I knew I was about to lose it, I also knew I couldn’t! 

Every thought required split second decisions,

while knowing I couldn’t stop moving my feet.

I couldn’t lose it, I couldn’t stop!

  No looking down. No thinking about down!!  

Forward movement was the only option!

Every moment I forced myself to trust my decision to accept this challenge..

 I forced myself to trust that I knew what I was doing.  

What if my fear wasn’t about heights,

what if my fear was trusting in myself?

 Do I know my limits?  

Will I stay within my limits?

Or did I throw caution to the wind and test my limits?

I knew if I gave into my fears for a split second I could lose my footing.

It was as if I had been mentally preparing for this day my whole life.

 Like I had been training for this very moment.

Every ounce of strength from the depths of my very soul bursted forth  

subjecting my fears and self doubt to a brute force

as in that moment 

 I became a force to be reckon with.  

I didn’t plan it.

I didn’t expect it.  

But It presented itself.

It was as though God was delivering my enemy into my hands.

The path before me had been cleared. 

That day, when fear of heights locked arms with self-doubt,

was the day I walked through deep dark life threatening fear

to find it was but a dark cloud without substance.  

On the other side of that dark cloud

I was met by transformation.