November 2006 — This cheery cross caught my eye, on a table full of unique crosses and other folk art at an art show, the annual Feria del Arte which brings craftspeople from all over Mexico to the Lake Chapala area.

“It’s so happy!” I said in Spanish, with some surprise, to the young woman sitting behind the table.

“That is what my people believe,” she said to me.

She was from Oaxaca, a part of Mexico much in the news lately for the struggles of the teachers and others there. She radiated a similar joy to the cross, though.

Soon it was mine, and I am greatly enjoying it. Its colors are even more vibrant in real life. A friend of mine chatted with the people at the booth after I was there, and she had the symbolism of some other crosses explained to her. I didn’t think to ask about that, but I like the fact that air, earth, water, and fire are all represented in various ways.