THE FINAL CHAPTER : A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Sept 2009 to Jan 2010)
At the Grotto of Our Immaculate Conception, in Lourdes
Daniel (14+ years old) (Friday 18/9/2009)
Day 9 in Lourdes
NOVENA DAY 1
(extraction of Mom's email to Aunt J in USA)
I pulled out my rosary and started to say the Hail Mary.
My hands were trembling and I was shivering because it was so darn cold. I couldn't stop crying. My eyes are damn painful now. Pardon the language. One of the hospitaliers beckoned me to sit by the statue of Our Lady.
I think he thought I might faint.
He ushered me with his hands on my shoulders, and led me to the statue of Our Lady. I sat by Her feet (bench height), all by myself. People who walked past must have wondered why I had such a privilege.
When I finished mumbling the 5 decades of the rosary in between sobs, sniffs and chokes, and was about to start on the Hail Holy Queen, someone tapped me on my shoulder.
I looked up.
Another volunteer pointed at the far end, and I saw that Daniel had come out of the bath. He was lying on the stretcher, all covered up with a rainbow colored blanket.
His eyes were closed. His hair looked a bit damp.
Before he went in, I had waved my arms wildly and pointing to my head to make sure the hospitaliers would cover his head with the spring water.
They understood.
