We walked into the Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe the morning after the earthquake and the calm was comforting.  The focus of the service, as it was in all Catholic Churches, was on the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus by the prophet John.  The event was recorded in each of the synoptic gospels and served as an event of earth shaking significance for Jesus and for the early Christian community.  The theology of baptism has been debated since this event!  However the calming sprinkling of water over the gathered congregants communicated a scaled up love that would open the way to a restored childhood.  A restored place in the garden of Eden.  There was no earthquake that could separate us from that promised love.  A splashing playfulness was restored!

Along the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta in a table normally occupied by a pseudo-inert sand sculpture I took the opportunity to dethrone a King and castle a few pieces, guaranteeing a win with no opponent.  The playful moment captures the importance of game theory in calculating wins and loses.  Today neither wind, nor water, nor sand, nor sun, nor shaking changed the rules of the game.  What changed was perspective.  I could play as a child with an imaginary friend and know I would win.  The most difficult lessons were in the sandstorm.  I could get worn out or washed clean.

The rocking horse of yesteryear (a lot of yesters ago) reminds us with childlike promise that we can rock on!  The horse will remain steadfast and the rocking will continue.  The shaking is the thrill.  Sprinkled with the water in the Cathedral, sprinkled with the spray of waves, sprinkled with the love of our chosen family we get to play, knowing that there is another game, another day, a baptized tomorrow.