Soon after Cosmo and Silvia cross the border into Texas, they stumble upon an unusual sight- a 190 foot-tall free-standing cross. The cross lives in Groom, Texas, a small town with a population below 600 in the panhandle region of Texas- the state that is widely considered to be the heart of the Bible Belt; where “God is everywhere.” The cross stands “firm and fierce on the flat, dry ground as if threatening to chase all the non-believers back to Oklahoma.” The sight spurs a conversation about religion, and this conversation prompts Cosmo to consider the positive qualities of religion in light of his recent eye-opening experience. Even though religion is not for him, he realizes that it offers many people comfort, strength, a sense of community and most importantly, a connection to one’s spiritual nature.
From Discovery of an Eagle
They were greeted in Texas by a DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS sign and by God himself. God was everywhere—on the radio, at the rest stops, on the billboards by the side of the road. They weren’t driving long when Cosmo spotted a giant silver cross that he could see from the interstate. He was happy he was driving, so he had the freedom to drive toward it to get a closer look and that he didn’t have to beg Silvia to do so.
This post is from my blog series on the places visited in the road trip story, “Discovery of an Eagle.”
Grace Mattioli is the author of the Greco Family Trilogy books, including Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees, Discovery of an Eagle, and The Bird that Sang in Color. These books are available from all major online book sellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.
