And with that, the 2022 season comes to an end.

2022 season comes to an end.

Today I stood in front of the ”Holly Door” (Puerta Santa or Puerta del Perdón) on the Plaza de Quintana in Santiago, waiting for them to close and remain so until 2027. A little context:

A Yubilee Year is celebrated in Santiago de Compostela whenever July 25, the day of Santiago the Elder, falls on a Sunday. This happens with the time sequence of six, five, six and eleven years.

That year’s called Año Santo (Xacobeo). Following the tradition, the Holy Year was supposed to be last year, but the Church made an exception and extended it for a year due to the pandemic.

Finding out about this decision filled me with warmth and hope. I started thinking about destiny because, in all that, what were the odds? I got a chance to be here, in Santiago, in the Holy Year.

Today we stood there in the pouring rain. It came suddenly. There weren’t many people, so it felt more intimate, even though my view of the door was hidden by all the umbrellas swirled up in the wind. People were soaking wet and laughing while fighting the wind. That moment was so special. The rain properly showered me, but I decided to embrace it as a ”washing-away” of everything painful from this year. For some reason, the rain and being on that square calmed me. I felt lightweight and clean. At that moment, I heard the thud of the doors being closed.

And with that, I want to close this chapter behind me. It brought me the pain I never dreamed of, made me push my limits to where I couldn’t follow anymore, gave me a second chance, and brought me to this beautiful, magical place exactly when I needed it. It allowed me to welcome so many extraordinary new people into my life. Some of them were brief blessings that formed a cherishable memory. Some are dear friendships. I want to thank 2022 season for showing me how caring people are, even when I don’t seem to notice; for showing me how I can live a life and how wonderful it can be; for showing me how important and magical people’s smiles are.

It threw in front of me some lessons I want to take with me, hopefully proving that I learned from them. Other than that, I won’t make any new year’s resolutions. I can’t predict life, so I won’t plan. I’ll keep my heart open and brace myself for everything that might come, knowing it’s all meant to be.

Happy new year, everyone! I hope that whatever this dance around the sun brings you, you can accept it, and I hope it fills you with joy every step of the way.