My heart was longing to return to my homeland, to connect once again with my roots. I began the long drive to San Angelo in West Texas.  After passing through San Antonio, I began to feel the open space and beauty of the Hill Country…air filled with yellow butterflies, blue skies, and blooming windflowers.  I stayed overnight in Comfort, Texas where the adventure began.  Breakfast at High’s Cafe…

Country music burst forth across the street long before the doors officially opened.   Once the sign in the window was flipped to “OPEN” the cafe quickly became once again the daily gathering place for town folks, and one by one the circle widened and the conversation livened.  When my breakfast order was ready I was to go into the kitchen to pick it up….suddenly all the cooks shouted together, “Hi Nancy!”.

My girlfriends and I all met in San Angelo at Barbara’s new home in the country, a lovely creative older home which they have remodeled. Here is a photo she took one evening off her back porch…

On that back seven acres all six of us rode into the sunset on the four wheeler through tumble weeds, mesquite trees, and blooming cactus.  My dangle ear rings were flying in the wind as I held on tight to the overhead bar, and we all thought we were 16 again!

That evening we found the old narrow bridge where we used to cross over the Concho River to get to Joyce’s house.  Here is what they have done with that old bridge…

An art group in San Angelo called “Art in Unexpected Places” created the lights which gradually transition from one psychedelic color to another.  So fun! Of course, we had to stroll across, run, skip, dance under the night sky….and remember.

The next morning we drove by the home where I grew up.  So nice to see it so well preserved!

Then on to the Chicken Farm, a delightful experience of local artists and musicians.

Down to the Concho River which runs through town for a picnic lunch…

A root beer float at a colorful place on the river with this memorable marquee…

Whimsical art under the bridge…

(Those are not my bare feet in the window, but they could have been…my legs were always too long for a VW)

Finally we encountered two beautiful statues overlooking the river done by artist John Noelke, who was born in San Angelo and raised on a ranch nearby.  They are entitled “Los Dos Angelas”.

The figure on the right is St. Angela de Merici, 16th century saint from Italy.  The one on the left is Carolina Angela de la Garza DeWitt who was named for the saint and was the wife of Bart DeWitt, founder of San Angelo.  The town was called the Village of Santa Angela and these are the women for whom it was named. They celebrate the strength of West Texas women. Here are some of the sayings written on the stones along the path below the figures which help tell their story…

I reflected on my own life in ministry and how I had never seen a female pastor when God called me.  I began to feel deep within my soul a connection with these women and their courage to step out into new horizons.  I knew the name “Santa Angela” lived deep within me.

Ah, my roots! ….beautiful skies and open space, place where strangers are welcomed and artistic expression abounds, room to question the meaning of the “Hokey Pokey” and how a 16th century saint from Italy might have influenced my own life.  It was a wonderful journey!

nk

Pondering…

How much do you know about the history of your homeland?

How might that history have effected who you are, your journey?