Passion

My weekend began with a procession of the Passion in front of the inn. I looked on in curiosity, but it got me unexpectedly emotional. Maybe it was the crack of the whips, the sight of the blood, the bilingual sermon. Passersby, normally divided by language and culture, were joined in this striking display of suffering.

The next day, I learned a good friend of mine is fighting for his life. He has the illness whose name we're all tired of hearing. An illness which has deepened our suffering and divided us in every possible way.

I'm not going political with this. I promise.

Feeling overwhelmed by the sorrow and suffering around me brought me to another unexpected place: reconciliation. I'll explain.

I began my tenure in this bustling, idyllic time capsule of a seaside town last summer. I was coming from a vibrant and touristy neighborhood in another city going through their worst year in a century. Where the constant sound of ambulances, the helicopters, the boarded up shops, the mobile morgues, the curfews, the fireworks and gunshots each night never gave us time to put down our new-found stress and dread. Though I'm originally from Ventnor, my move back to this area was culture shock.

This week means many things for different people. For me, it was a time to be faced with our collective suffering and sorrow. Instead of causing me to dig in more—we've all done plenty of that this year—it brought about a softening of my spirit. If Easter is a time of reconciliation between us and our Creator, it can also be a time of reconciliation amongst ourselves.

I will continue building a safe and fun community at the inn. I will continue to occasionally lose my patience with some of you because I'm human and sleep-depravation is a thing. But I will be mindful that we're all coming from different places with different priorities, and that's a good thing. And when I throw safety reminders your way, I hope neither you nor I take it personally. We all have bigger fish to fry. Or lamb. Or however you plan to celebrate.

I wish you all a happy Easter. To quote two esteemed philosophers from my youth, "Be excellent to each other."

Sincerely, Sne Avichal | Your Innkeeper