I checked into my hotel room much later than expected last night after first giving confession for the first time in my life (My confession began with, “Father, I must confess, I am not Catholic” to which he let out an, “Ohhhh? 
) and then attending evening Mass in French at the Basillica Shrine of our Lady Lourde (breathtaking).
It all started when I asked a handsome French stranger on the train if the next stop was Lourdes. And rather than simply pointing the way, this amazing human took me under his Angelic wing and guided me through an entire itinerary of evening celebrations.
This day was, after all, The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception!! (Yep, had NO idea when I planned the trip. But as I was told more than once, Virgin Mary beckons you here. You don’t just decide.)
Now, not being Catholic myself (My beautiful Ella who helped raise me IS), this whole experience was/ is foreign to me…But I don’t think you have to be Catholic (Or Christian or Jewish or Buddhist or Muslim) to have a deep appreciation and respect for the traditions and doctrines of any particular religion.
I see beauty in them all (despite each also having their flaws) and, in my own spiritual belief that is centered on my personal relationship with God, I took it all in knowing there are no accidents.
It was a special evening of laughter and crying and amazement and prayer and lots more walking in the… RAIN!
So, when I finally came back to my room, the last thing I wanted was to take an inventory of what my room looked like.. all I wanted was to rest.
And rest I did.
And after a late wake up call from the sun, I pulled back the curtains to see ‘Paradis’!
And indeed, this place may be just that…
Side Note: Turns out this Angel of mine HAPPENED to also be a professional ‘football trainer’ for a well known soccer team that I shall not mention.