What makes a place matter? It can be several things. For me, it is nostalgia and faith. “El Pozo de La Virgen (The Well of the Virgin)” is among the holiest sanctuaries in Puerto Rico . It was once another well in Sabana Grande, but in the early 1950s it was where three children claimed that they saw the Virgin Mary, almost instantly attracting believers from all around the world. The momentous event was viewed as a sign of her presence and confirmation of religious thought.
Everything about this landmark is much more than familiar to me. It is a part of who I am. My family has been faithful to this site since its birth and, as devout believers in God, Jesus, and the Virgin, we continue to worship there in honor of our faith. When I lived in Sabana Grande, the chapel was my place for prayer and my personal mental escape. The tranquility of this place is so calming that it is hard for anybody not to feel connected to it, which is why I go back every time I visit the island.
The hundreds of thousands of people who travel to see this place in person can agree with me when I say that this place has much more significance than providing fresh water. It maintains faith, arouses hope, and keeps memories alive. This place has remained practically unchanged from when the chapel was built near the well, making tradition and familiarity that much more attainable.
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I think your essay is very well-written and you adequately prove the importance of your place to both yourself and others. I can clearly see the beauty of the place from your description, with or without the picture.
ReplyDeleteI like that your essay is about a well, instead of a building, and the essay itself is written well enough that I want to visit this place myself.
ReplyDeleteThe third sentence starts out with "It was once another well in Sabana Grande", and I am confused as to what you're saying here. Are you implying that there was a well previous to this one that was called the Well of the Virgin? Or are you saying that this well was once just another well on the island?
Thanks for your comments!
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant by that sentence was that the well existed before the appearance, but that it became so significant and was named once the children saw the Virgin. Do you think there's a clearer way to put it? I'm open to any suggestions!
This is so admirable. There are very few people that have a sanctuary to which they can escape mentally and spiritualy. The fact that it has been maintained in it's originial state is incredible!
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