Finding Mitty.

Chapter 3: Yhprum's law

Ave Maria.

I stood alone inside the cathedral looking up at its beautiful ceiling, a dome, which was divided in 8 parts, each beautifully designed and perfectly similar, except for the letters inscribed in small circles towards the center in each of the 8 parts, which spelled, "Ave Maria" meaning, "Hail Mary."

You know what Sants oliver said about this place? he said 'You are mother to a people who cling to you like ivy to an ancient trunk.' And Aguilò said, 'Because at Lluc hope is reborn and faith shines brighter than ever there'. (They were philosophers.)

I walked forward towards the statue of the Virgin Mary, rotating my head and looking around the cathedral. It was so delicately and skillfully articulated. There were 8 marvelous chandeliers, 4 on each side, which dispersed the white light of their bulbs inside them into little rainbow coloured twinkles. The walls were all designed in classic Renaissance style and were painted such as when combined with the correct lighting from the chandeliers, glowed like real gold. I felt my skin getting tanned by the warm, golden glow. But my mind was too overflowing with emotions and paranoia that I couldn't appreciate the place's whole beauty. So I just went and sat on the first bench, looking at the mother of God, hoping for help. And help I received.

*********

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Tiago's voice came from behind me.
Gosh, how long was I sitting here?
I looked back and saw him walking towards me, a typical smile on his face.

"Yes, very. The movie finished already?"

"Oh, no. I just left early, I like living movies rather than watching them. Besides, I've already seen it lots of times. Its not like we have many choices here."

"Living movies? What do you mean?"

"Well, for example, a person looking for guidance in a church from God and conveniently a priest shows up. Don't they show this stuff a lot in American movies?"

"Yeah actually. And my life right now might as well be a movie. A dream. Its all so absurd." I winced.

He came and sat on the bench on the other side of the aisle. Giving a smirk, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"This, I mean, I was living a normal life back in New York and then my mom dies and everything just starts falling apart faster than I can put it back together.
Up until last month, I didn't even know my father was alive, and now I'm on an island in Spain trying to find him and he's already gone. It just seems impossible. There's no way it should be happening. Especially not to a guy like me." I said, trying to explain it the best way I could.

"Oh, I'm sorry Walter, I didn't know about your madre. What happened?"

"Cancer. We had known for a while and I was prepared for it. But not this. This isn't supposed to happen."

"Well, Walter, its life. You can't say something isn't supposed to happen. Life doesn't work that way. If there is a chance that something can happen in your life, it will happen. Either you'll make it happen or the universe will."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, allow me to explain it to you by giving you an example. Do you know how this place came into existence, Walter?"

I shook my head.

He adjusted himself and after taking a calm breath, said:

"Okay. Well, sometime in the 13th Century, there was a Moorish shepherd. He used to roam these lands, tending to his sheep because those sheep were his livelihood, they depended on him, and he on them."