The week-long spiritual retreat at Flor do Céu ended with the singing of the hymns of Padrinho Luiz Mendes (called Centenário) in celebration of the anniversary of the church and the birthday of its leader, Eduardo Gabrish.
This is always a wonderfully spirited event with much joy and happiness but this year there were a few surprises.
The work began in the normal way, lining up and drinking Daime
The musicians were in place
It seemed the hours of singing the first half passed passed like a blink. During the interval, there was the joy of singing the Entertainments of the Master (Diversões do Mestré)
Then everyone scurried about finding a partner for dancing the Zig-Zag (Zigue-Zague) of Pad. Luiz Mendes. I hurried over to the edge of the musicians' platform,
and stood on it on my tip-toes, with the camera fully extended above me, hoping to get an overhead photo of Seu Luiz and Dona Rizelda dancing, a shot like this one
But that's not what happened. Instead, I slipped (someone thought he had accidentally bumped into me) and I fell off the platform, falling head first and straight forward like a stick man. The point of my shoulder made first contact, hitting the concrete floor and my forehead slammed into the bottom of the railing. Then things got quiet, very quiet. I really don't know for how long. Saturnino was leaning over me and I felt comforted. I reached for my glasses. They were OK. I reached for my camera. It was OK. I felt stunned but, somehow, also OK. I got up. The music and dancing began, and I took the photo above.
Then someone asked for my camera to take a picture of me.
This is the miracle of the Daime, that somehow we can be healthy and happy no matter what is happening. Is it true? Well, the gift that I received that night is that I now believe that the answer is yes, it is true.
The festivities continued through the night, singing the hymns received by Padrinho Luiz
And as the spiritual work was ending, with the dawn of a rising sun, a very rare phenomenon occurred -- a morning rainbow appeared in a perfectly clear sky in the faint mist of moisture that was rising from the earth.
The ritual ended and we gathered around the cake to sing our congratulations (parabéns) for another anniversary of Flor do Céu and another year for Eduardo and his wonderful family.
Yes, it was quite a night.
PARABÉNS!!!
Click for a slideshow of more anniversary photos.
