December 2, 2006 –  The other day, we had lunch with friends at Mom’s restaurant, which is on the carretera, that is the only road that goes all along the north side of Lake Chapala. It’s a busy two-lane highway (and getting busier all the time, now that snowbirds are arriving). Mom’s is in Riberas del Pilar, between the towns of Chapala and San Antonio Tlayacapan. There are a lot of businesses along the carretera in Riberas.

I was done while the others were still eating and talking, and I excused myself to walk a few blocks to the place I could renew our Mexican cellphone. I was able to walk somewhat off the highway, along a dusty wide area.

As I was walking along, I felt an extraordinary sense of peace. It almost felt like a cloud enveloping me. I savored it, and then I was at the cellphone place and normality returned.

Later, as we drove home, I told Kelly about my experience.

“That’s a lot like the experience I had on the carretera last spring,” he said. “Remember?”

Once he mentioned it, I did. He had been driving through Riberas alone, when he had had a feeling of being in the right place at the right time.

Makes me wonder, what’s the magic of that ordinary stretch of highway?