Sagrada Familia

Our big to-do for the summer was getting our immediate family together for a vacation in July; daughters, husbands, grandkids.  It ended up being a vacation in a little town about an hour north of Barcelona.  We would stay in a 14 bedroom mansion with a large swimming pool, tennis court and a short walk to the beach.  We began planning this a year in advance and, to our amazement, everyone said they would come.

We didn’t pre-plan a lot of activities, but I did try to get guided tour tickets to architect Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, a Catholic church that has been under construction since 1882.  It was named a basilica in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI, and is the tallest church in the world.

I started the process to get tickets nine months in advance.  There would be 25 of us.  At first, the website would only let me book 15 tickets.  So I booked 15 and ten.  Then I found that Trip Advisor had a link that would let me book 25 all as a single group, but paid as a group of 15 and ten.  I cancelled the first group and booked the second with Trip Advisor.  I received confirmation and the ticket bar codes.  Good.  All done.  One more thing to check off my list.

Fast forward nine months and it is two days before we are to go as a group to Sagrada Familia in downtown Barcelona.  I doublechecked the vouchers and something didn’t seem right.  I looked twice, then three times.  The second group of ten didn’t seem right.  I checked online and I could verify the first 15 tickets, but not the second group of ten.  I called the number on the voucher.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Witty.  We cancelled the second group of ten because we didn’t hear back from you.”

What?  So I checked all the emails I had saved regarding the trip.  Nothing.  No emails or notifications from them.  I am angry and frustrated.  Yet, no point in arguing.

“Can I book the ten tickets I need?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Witty.  We are booked up through the rest of July.”

I was heartbroken and had to break the news at dinner.

“I want to apologize to everyone.  I still do not understand what happened, but I only have 15 tickets instead of the 25.”

I failed them all.  I felt like a loser.  How could they ever forgive me?  I began looking for volunteers.  Carol and I could pass.  Jessica had seen it before, as had Pam and Kenneth.  Darlene’s family of five were staying an extra week and could see it then.  That made ten that volunteered not to go.  Maybe it would work out after all.

Getting to downtown Barcelona by car is a frustrating experience.  GPS estimated time of arrival is useless.  We did finally make it but then walked around for a half hour looking for the guide.  We finally found her across the street among several hundred people hold a piece of paper that said “GB Tours.”  I probably walked past her four times before one of the grandkids spotted the sign.  At last.  And all fifteen made it.  I was just there because the tickets were in my name, and to make sure everyone connected with the guide.

At this point, I think God showed his sense of humor.  Of course, I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but what do I know?  What is the saying: “the best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry.”  Or in scripture, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8, 9)

Approaching the guide, I introduced myself.  “Oh, yes,” she said, looking through her papers.  “You are a group of twenty-five.”  I was dumbstruck!  What happened?  Did the right hand not know what the left hand was doing?  I still don’t know what happened.  I was vindicated on one hand, and had ten disappointed family members an hour away.

What is the life lesson in this?  Where is the sermon illustration and happy ending?  Does there have to be a life lesson, sermon illustration or happy ending?  All I can say, is that sometimes I try to do my very best, and I still can’t control the outcome.  “Time and chance happen to them all.”  (Ecclesiastes 9:11)