I was writing a post about a relaxing long weekend in Frankfurt, an uplifting hike with friends, the abundance of color, Germans with baskets of mushrooms…the serenity and beauty of fall.

Then the Las Vegas shooting happened.

It didn’t feel right to post about the blessings in my life while so many others were hurting.

In fact, when it comes US news, I find myself reverting back to behaviors I had when Trump was elected: staying up late, reading and listening constantly, talking to anyone who will listen, trying to find answers and common ground among all the different points of view.

And yet.

There is so much going on in the world right now.

This past week, I was in Barcelona for work.

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, a region of Spain that has been discussing independence for years. This week it culminated in a (some say unofficial) vote to leave Spain.

Yesterday, the Catalan President signed a declaration of independence from Spain.

I was in this city, literally in the midst of revolution, change, uncertainty, longing to be heard.

I could feel it in the air. Looking at the faces of the people I passed on the street – from the hunched over old lady pulling her groceries behind her in a cart, to the server at the cafe where I had breakfast, to all the contracted workers who helped us with our event.

In her broken English, one of the women told me, “It’s complicated. Spain will not listen to us.”

Along with laundry, flags and signs are draped over balconies on the tiny side streets, just tucked away from the tourist buses and crowded plazas.

Red and yellow blowing in the breeze, along with uncertainty…hope…change.

 

Catalan flags and a Vote Yes poster – in favor of Catalan independence.

A few houses down – Spanish flags in support of remaining a part of the country.