A NOTE From Ray: "Cosme" is pronounced "Co smay."I visited his grave site in Truchas. Truchas is also well known for its Penitentees who go through incredible self inflicted suffering on the way to Chimayo for Good Friday. It's an amazing religious custom for some of the cultures in New Mexico.

I lived in a beautiful cottage right out of storybook land. It was on a small ranch with a huge horse barn that consisted of a dozen stalls, a birthing stall with an apartment attached to it, and a huge show ring to display the horses of long ago. I utilized the premises by boarding Arabians, and was blessed by attending to a half dozen births. Along with caring for the ranch came the duties of neighbors getting together to clear out the acequia, the irrigation ditches that borders every ranch and farm.

Cosme Romero was the major domo of Truchas. He was in charge of the acequia and of attending to the water needs of Truchas. He met me when I moved into my little cottage. I wasn't much aware of his high position (in the mountains of the Southwest the Major Domo was akin to God) but he was especially friendly and through the months I found that he was always around whenever I needed help loading hay or clearing snow.

One particular day Cosme had to unload hay on a ranch miles away. He was getting old and at the time there was nobody available to help him. I happened to see him with his load of hay and asked if everything was all right. When I realized that he desperately needed help I offered to assist and jumped into his truck. And so it went that I was always available whenever Cosme needed a little bit of help. He was always there for me as well.

Truchas was truly beautiful. I hiked and camped all around the area meeting deer, elk, mountain goats, critters of every sort. One of the locals told me that Truchas was as close to God as one could be. And that is exactly how it felt to me. I had been accepted by the locals and was considered as part of the community, thanks especially to Cosme. The last time I saw Cosme he said, "Ray, if you ever need help you call on me." That was the epitome of acceptance!

Years later after leaving Truchas I was back in Santa Fe. I was particularly in dire straits at one time. I remember that I was going through a period where nothing was going right, and I was walking around in the brush near St. Vincent's Hospital. Tears were streaming down my face. I felt like my world had collapsed. It was a time when I felt like ending it all. Everything looked hopeless, and I felt helpless.

"Dear God," I prayed, "take this from me. Be You in charge. Please!" I cried aloud!

For some reason unexplainable Cosme came to mind and his offer to help whenever I needed it. I shook my head and continued to shuffle along the scrubs with head bent. Through my blurred vision I saw a piece of paper with a picture of Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe. I picked it up and read the twenty-third psalm. It was actually a card, the kind one might carry around in a wallet, or purse. I turned it over and read: "In memory of our father and husband, Cosme Romero..." I asked Cosme to put in a good word for me...

Curious when prayer is answered so vividly. I was lifted out of my suicidal depression and went on to face the challenges in front of me, all of which were easily overcome. Cosme was there for me, forty miles away from Truchas, and I learned a little more about trust. Trusting God. And today I can remember that God is the only goal I have.

--- © by Ray Hart