Did you know that September 7th was grandparent’s day??
I missed it. We were in the middle of a furious battle with the roto virus and between 24 hour laundry rounds and yet another coating of antibacterial spray, the happy holiday went by unnoticed in our home.
Back when I was little there was no grandparent’s day, or perhaps there was but it was nothing we celebrated. I didn’t grow up very close to my grandparents but I have stories that I have inherited from my cousins and flashes of moments when I was very, very little. If I would have known how much I would need my grandparents and how much difference a grandparent can make in someone’s life, I would have treasured those memories more, I would have never allowed them to fade.
My grandma Maria died before I was born and my mom and my aunts never talk much about her. The very little that I know about her is that she was enterprising and hard working. They say that she was submissive and used to yield to her husband more often than not. Whether she was this subdued woman or not, she raised strong and independent women, hardworking and adventurous, she couldn’t have been too different herself.
My Papa Viejito or Papa Morante, what you called him depends on when you were born, was still alive when I came around and the memories I have of him are sweet and tender and full of patience and a certain air of defeat. See, I was one of the last ones that would be born before he died. Papa Viejito had many grandchildren and he was a father figure to them, he disciplined and he was to be obeyed. But as his life came to a close and he moved to Lima to get better treatment, illness made him weaker and he wasn’t quite so formidable and scary. That’s when the old man and I got to know each other, as I jumped all over him and my grandfather, overpowered by illness and age, let me romp freely.
I remember his wrinkled face, the creases of his skin and his funny smell. He smelled of that salve that they used to rub on us when we had a cold, a little menthol and a little Yuk. These memories of my Papa Viejito are mine; no one told me about them, something in me instinctively recalls them when I think of him. They tell me that I used to comb his hair and that I would get it tangled and I would lie next to him and play with him and he would ruffle my hair and call me his little sheep’s head. I think I remember that, but I am not certain, it could be that I’ve heard them so many times they have become part of my history.
Despite the fact that I did not share much with my grandparents I see some of what they were in their daughters. My aunts and my mother are incredible, they are all very different from each other yet they are all remarkable in their own particular way. Not perfect, bur remarkable and admirable nevertheless.
Today, some of us are grandparents too and we understand the quiet wisdom that age and time grants us and we realize that we can touch the life of our children and their children simply by sharing ourselves, and passing on the stories of our life and the ones before us.
We no longer have the same struggles that past generations faced, times have changed. Ours is a new challenge. It is our job to tell our children about Pacanga and Peru, to take them there and have them collect their cultural inheritance. They should know that we stand on the accomplishments of our parents and grandparents. It is our job to make sure that our children learn about the Christmas get-togethers we used to have when one house wasn’t enough for all of us, it is important for them to know that once upon a time we clung to each other because we were all we had in this new home. Nowadays it is different, we are dispersed throughout the world and sometimes we forget the places we come from and the places we have been, the people who used to be a part of our life’s and the memories of family and love that make up who we are.
On a day like grandparent’s day though we are all united by one common denominator, we all come from the same place, from the same family, from the same love.
Happy grandparent’s day to all the grandparents in your life!
All of my love,
China
Ustedes sabian que el 7 de Septiembre es el dia de los abuelos??
Yo me lo perdi. Estabamos en la mitad de la batalla con el virus roto y entre tandas de ropa sucia todo el dia y el desinfectar de la casa cada cinco minutos, se me paso el dia de celebracion.
Cuando yo era chiquita no habia dia de los abuelos o talvez no lo celebraban.Yo no creci cerca de mis abuelos pero tengo las historias que he heredado de mis primos y primas. Si yo hubiera sabido lo mucho que me harian falta mis abuelos y cuanto ellos pueden significar en tu vida, hubiera cuidado mas esos pocos recuerdos, no hubiese permitido que se borren de mi memoria.
Mi abuela Maria murio antes que yo naciera y mi mama y mis tias nunca hablaron mucho de ella. Lo poquito que se de ella es de que era trabajadora y emprendedora. Ellas dicen de que ella era sumisa y dejaba que mi abuelo fuera el fuerte de la casa. Si es que en verdad ella era sumisa o no, ella crio hijas fuertes, independientes y trabajadoras … ella no puede haber sido muy diferente.
Mi Papa Viejito o Papa Morante, el nombre varia dependiendo de el tiempo en que nacieron, todavia estaba vivo cuando yo naci y los poquitos recuerdos que tengo de el son dulces y tiernos,llenos de paciencia y resignacion. Yo fui una de las mas chiquitas cuando mi Papa Viejito se mudo a Lima para poder recibir tratamiento. Mi abuelo habia sido fuerte y estricto con sus otros nietos, pero ya cuando yo llegue, el ya estaba cansado y vencido, por la edad y la enfermedad.
Yo me acuerdo de su carita arrugada, su piel color caramelo que escondia sus ojitos y ese olor peculiar de el. Era el olor de esa medicina que nos ponian en el pecho, que tenia mentol y quien sabe que otra cosa. Esos son mis recuerdos de mi abuelo, nadie me ha contado de ellos, son algo instintivo que llevo en el alma y que salen cuando pienso en el. Si me contaron de que yo lo peinaba y le enredaba el pelo y me echaba con el y le hablaba y jugaba con el. El se entretenia con mi pelo y me decia cabeza de borreguito. Creo que me acuerdo de estas cosas, pero no estoy segura, es probable de que me lo han contado tantas veces que ya se volvieron parte de mi historia.
A pesar de que no comparti mucho con mis abuelos, algo de ellos paso a sus hijas. Mis tias y mi mama son mujeres increibles, cada una de ellas es diferente pero todas son notables. No perfectas, pero notables y admirables.
Algunos de nosotros ya somos abuelos, ya entendemos la sabiduria que nos da el tiempo y la edad y nos damos cuenta de que podemos influenciar la vida de nuestros hijos y nuestros nietos simplemente compartiendo un poquito de nosotros y contandoles las historias de nuestra vida y la vida de los que vinieron antes que nosotros.
Ya los tiempos han cambiado y nuestra lucha no es como la lucha de la generacion pasada. Nosotros tenemos otra mision. Nuestra mision es contarles de Pacanga y de Peru, llevarlos a que recogan su herencia cultural. Asegurarnos de que ellos sepan que estamos donde estamos por los sacrificios que nuestros padres y abuelos hicieron por darnos una mejor vida. Nos toca a nosotros contarles de las navidades donde nos reuniamos todos en una sola casa y casi no cabiamos. Que sepan que en algun momento nos buscabamos y nos aferrabamos los unos a otros porque eramos lo unico que teniamos en este pais. Ahora es diferente, estamos dispersados por todos lados y en el trajin diario nos olvidamos de donde venimos, de donde somos y de las personas que han sido parte de nuestras vidas, los recuerdos de familia y cariño que nos hace quienes somos.
En un dia como el dia de los abuelos todos estamos unidos por un mismo denominador. Todos venimos de el mismo lugar, de la misma familia, de el mismo amor.
Feliz dia de los abuelos a todos los abuelos en tu vida! ( mas vale tarde que nunca)
Nunca te olvides de donde vienes porque entonces dejarias de ser quien eres.
Telmo Morante Morante
Monday, September 29, 2008
Hurricane Ike
Its three o’clock in the morning and an unusual constriction in my chest wakes me up and out of bed and in search for relief. Odd, the windows are closed and my allergies could not be causing an asthma attack, but nevertheless, my body impels me to seek release and I hit the medicine cabinet.
Medicine found, given in proper dosage, now it is time to wait for the effects. I wonder what is going on with Ike and how Texas is faring. I don’t have any personal acquaintances in Texas but my son was born in Katy and I feel a slight connection to the place.
So I turn the computer on and hear the gears bringing up the system as the computer wakes itself up. I make myself toast and tea, I might want to go back to bed and coffee would prevent that. I bring up the weather channel and decide to weed through its panic filled reports and try to ascertain what is really going on.
If you have ever lived in an area prone to hurricanes you understand the terms wind gust and the effects of the barometric pressure in a system, you know that sometimes the weather people can make you panic for no reason and their predictions of wind and rain will have you running to the store for your supplies and after you have fought five people for the last bag of charcoal at your local Publix, nothing happens. At times, it is all just instinct and you prepare, you reinforce and then you sit and wait for Mother Nature to do its thing.
To me hurricanes are the worst. Nothing like knowing that devastating wind and rain are heading your way in advance, and they might or might not destroy your home. The anticipation kills me. Knowing what kind of devastation is coming your way and that it might or might not hit you, that it might or might not affect you and that you won’t know for certain until the last minute. That is too much for me to handle. After Wilma and 17 days without power, I made my bags and left South Florida and the uncertainty of its weather.
That is not to say that Ohio’s weather is any better. Last year’s blizzard had me in awe of the power of winter storms but nevertheless, it was nothing like a hurricane.
So as I look at the storm, I say a silent prayer hoping that those people in Texas can get through this quickly and painlessly, but the angry red of the radar shows much precipitation and winds and with the size of this storm, many people are being affected. The storm even reaches into Louisiana and Arkansas.
Oh no, not Arkansas.
Why not Arkansas? No, none of my children were born there. I don’t have any friends or family there. You see, in a little truck stop, just a few miles of Little Rock in a cab of a semi truck, sleeps my beloved in his 80,000 pound rolling home. My husband is a truck driver. He just left TX and I was relieved to know that he got away from Ike in time, I didn’t look at Ike’s path inland, and I didn’t realize Ike would be following his route into the northeast.
As a truck driver’s wife, I have learned, out of necessity, to read maps, to read weather reports and to track weather systems to help my husband make his way through it all. I have on my computer the weather channel, traffic report and MapQuest in my favorites ready to give directions and to try to outmaneuver traffic, construction and even the weather. As I watch the path of Ike, I realize in horror that in next few hours this system filled with rain and winds will be turning and heading for Arkansas and creating havoc in his path. I call him and try to warn him so he can get out. No answer. Does that mean that there is no signal? Is the storm already hitting? The radar and the map say no but I cannot help myself, I panic. I start pulling up reports, local weather news and even newspapers so I can see if he is stuck in the storm or if he will be able to get out… after 53 seconds of anxiety, the phone rings. He had been woken up by the activity of the other trucks rolling out; he was prepping his truck and getting ready to leave. We tracked the path inland and saw that he may still make Maryland ahead of the system, I can breathe again.
I have learned that regardless of where I live, because of my husband’s occupation, I am affected by what happens somewhere else. As the mother in Texas prays that her home isn’t too battered by the storm, I join her prayer in hoping that my husband can outrun this storm and make it safely to his next delivery. Hurricane, snow, rain, tornadoes and all kinds of disasters affect “people” out there, every day. It wasn’t until Tony started driving that I realized that it has nothing to do with people out there, things like that affects us all.
You are nowhere near TX? Its ok, the increase in gas prices will affect you regardless of where you are. The early ice storm in Colorado has nothing to do with you? Unlikely, unless you are a vegetarian and you don’t consume meat or drink milk, in that case their loss in cattle would mean nothing to you, then again, it will affect someone you know. As different areas of the world are affected by nature, slowly we begin to realize that those things affect us all. We might not be as personally affected as someone who has lost their home, but in some way you will be affected.
It can affect what you consume because it is produced in that area or the consequences and losses will affect the nation’s budget, therefore your pocket. We are in a time where we can see how we are all interconnected, one way or another, and so you cannot turn your face and ignore their plight. As a society, we are as strong as our weakest member. You cannot look away and say it doesn’t affect me, their problem, I don’t care. Some way, some how, at one point or another we are all affected by one another.
So as you wake up this morning, offer a thought, a moment of reflection, prayer, meditation, monetary donation or your time or whatever you are inspired to do for those who are braving this storm, pray that after Ike has his way, that we are not too devastated by the losses. Pray that together we can all repair, rebuild, restore if not the material losses, at least the hope and faith that United we stand.
The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. -Elie Wiesel
Son las 3 de la mañana y una extraña presion en el pecho me saco de la cama y en busca de alivio. Que raro, las ventanas estan cerradas y mis alergias, que usualmente me causan ataques de asma, no me pueden estar afectando, pero aun asi, mi cuerpo me pide que busque alivio. Encuentro la medicina, tomo la dosis apropiada y ahora me toca esperar a que la medicina haga efecto. Mientras espero, me pregunto que estara pasando con Ike y como la estara pasando la gente de Texas. Yo no conozco a nadie en Texas, pero mi hijo nacio ahi, asi que siento una leve conneccion con la ciudad.
Prendo la computadora y me pierdo en su despertar Ruidoso, en lo que me preparo mi te y tostada, si tomo café ahorita no puedo regresar a la cama y todavia tengo tiempo antes de que los chicos se despierten. Busco en la internet el web site de el clima y trato de descifrar lo que esta pasando, interpretando reportes que inducen al panico.
Si alguna vez has vivido en una area propensa a huracanes, entonces ya estas familiarizado con los terminos rafaga de viento y presion barometrica y sabes tambien de que los noticieros tienden a predecir el fin del mundo y al fin y al cabo, ni llueve. Despues de que corristes al Mercado a comprar velas, latas y agua, despues que te peleastes con cinco personas por la ultima bolsa de carbon, no pasa nada. Bueno mas vale prevenir, que lamentar.
Para mi los huracanes son los peores, tienes como una semana para verlo creciendo en el caribe y escuchando reportes que dicen que es possible, pero no seguro, de que talvez, quizas, pueda destrozar tu casa y tu vida, pero no te podemos decir a ciencia cierta hasta unas cuantas horas antes. Que va,mis nervios no pueden con eso. Despues de Vilma y 17 dias sin luz, hice mis maletas y le dije adios al sur de la Florida y a su ruleta rusa con el clima.
Eso no quiere decir de que el clima en Ohio sea mejor. El año pasado, la tormenta de nieve y hielo, me dejaron en duda de que talvez me fui de Guatemala a Guatepeor, pero bueno, al hecho, pecho.
Al mirar los reportes de Ike, le pido a Dios de que la gente en Texas no la pase muy feo, que pase ya el huracan, rapidito y sin mayor perdida, pero los rojos de el radar muestran que este sistema viene con mucha lluvia y viento, y que es tan grande de que llega hasta Luisiana y Arkansas.
No, no Arkansas.
Porque no Arkansas? No, ninguno de mis hijos nacieron ahi, no tengo amigos, ni conocidos en ese estado. Pero en una parada de camiones a unas cuantas millas al Sur de Little Rock, duerme mi esposo en su dormitorio de 80,000 libras y 18 llantas. Mi esposo es camionero. Anoche cuando hablamos por telefono, el habia salido de Texas a la carrera, tratando de escaparse de los vientos de Ike. No me fije cual era el camino de Ike despues de haber tocado tierra, no me di cuenta de que Ike sigue en la misma direccion de su ruta.
Ser la esposa de un camionero me ha enseñado, por necesidad, a leer mapas, reportes de el clima y hasta seguir tormentas en su senda para ver como afectan la ruta de mi esposo. Programados en mis favoritos en la computadora estan los reportes de trafico, clima y MapQuest para poder dirigir y maniobrar cualquier percance que surja en su camino. En lo que sigo el camino predicho para Ike, me doy cuenta que Ike esta persiguiendolo y que la lluvia y vientos van siguiendo su ruta.
Lo llamo para despertarlo y decirle que tiene que irse de Arkansas, ya! Nadie contesta. Que quiere decir eso?? Ya empezo la tormenta, ha afectado las torres, no hay señal? El radar y el mapa dicen que no, pero el panico me cierra el pecho de nuevo y me duele hasta respirar. Empiezo a buscar reportes locales, los noticieros de Arkansas y hasta los periodicos para ver que esta pasando y si el esta estancado en la mitad de este huracan. Mover el camion durante vientos fuertes podria llevar a que el camion se volque, es peligroso. Despues de 53 segundos de panico y ansiedad, el telefono suena. El ya estaba despierto, la parada esta vacia ya todos los camioneros saben de que viene el viento y la lluvia y todos estan evacuando. Ahora conciente de Ike, seguimos la trayectoria dentro de el pais y vimos de que es possible de que llegue a Maryland, antes de la lluvia. Me volvio el alma al cuerpo, ya puedo respirar.
He aprendido de que no importa donde yo viva, las cosas que pasan en todo el pais de alguna forma me afectan por el trabajo de mi esposo. Asi como la madre en Texas que reza por que su casa no se la lleve el viento, yo me uno a su plegaria y le pido a Dios y a todos mis antepasados que cuiden a Tony y que pueda llegar sano y salvo a su proxima entrega. Huracanes, lluvia, nieve, hielo, todo tipo de desastres afectan a millones de personas en todos lados.No fue hasta que Tony empezo a manejar comercialmenteque me di cuenta que lo que le afecta a esos millones, tambien me afecta a mi, a ti, a todos.
No estas cerca a Texas? No importa, la subida de precio de la gasolina te afecta donde estes. Las consecuencias y perdidas tambien afectan el presupuesto nacional, por lo tanto, tu bolsillo. La tormenta de hielo en Colorado no te afecta? Las perdidas de ganado puede que no te afecten si eres vegetariano y no comas carne y no tomes leche, pero te apuesto que si le afectan directamente a alguien que tu conoces. Estamos en una epoca donde es facil ver como estamos todos interconectados, de alguna forma u otra, ya no podemos voltear la cara e ignorar la necesidad de otros. Como sociedad, somos tan Fuertes como nuestro miembro mas debil. No puedes hacerte de la vista gorda e ignorar lo que les pasa, no puedes decir no me afecta, no es mi problema o que me importa. De alguna forma, todos estamos afectados.
En lo que comienza tu dia, ofrece un pensamiento, una plegaria, una meditacion una donacion, tu tiempo, o lo que te nazca a todos los que se han tenido que enfrentar directamente a este huracan o otro desastre natural. Pide de que despues de que pase el huracan, las perdidas no sean demasiadas.Pide de que juntos, podamos reparar, reconstruir y reponer . Sino las cosas materiales al menos, restauremos la fe y esperanza de que Unidos, perseveramemos.
Lo opuesto al amor no es el odio, es la indiferencia . -Elie Wiesel
Medicine found, given in proper dosage, now it is time to wait for the effects. I wonder what is going on with Ike and how Texas is faring. I don’t have any personal acquaintances in Texas but my son was born in Katy and I feel a slight connection to the place.
So I turn the computer on and hear the gears bringing up the system as the computer wakes itself up. I make myself toast and tea, I might want to go back to bed and coffee would prevent that. I bring up the weather channel and decide to weed through its panic filled reports and try to ascertain what is really going on.
If you have ever lived in an area prone to hurricanes you understand the terms wind gust and the effects of the barometric pressure in a system, you know that sometimes the weather people can make you panic for no reason and their predictions of wind and rain will have you running to the store for your supplies and after you have fought five people for the last bag of charcoal at your local Publix, nothing happens. At times, it is all just instinct and you prepare, you reinforce and then you sit and wait for Mother Nature to do its thing.
To me hurricanes are the worst. Nothing like knowing that devastating wind and rain are heading your way in advance, and they might or might not destroy your home. The anticipation kills me. Knowing what kind of devastation is coming your way and that it might or might not hit you, that it might or might not affect you and that you won’t know for certain until the last minute. That is too much for me to handle. After Wilma and 17 days without power, I made my bags and left South Florida and the uncertainty of its weather.
That is not to say that Ohio’s weather is any better. Last year’s blizzard had me in awe of the power of winter storms but nevertheless, it was nothing like a hurricane.
So as I look at the storm, I say a silent prayer hoping that those people in Texas can get through this quickly and painlessly, but the angry red of the radar shows much precipitation and winds and with the size of this storm, many people are being affected. The storm even reaches into Louisiana and Arkansas.
Oh no, not Arkansas.
Why not Arkansas? No, none of my children were born there. I don’t have any friends or family there. You see, in a little truck stop, just a few miles of Little Rock in a cab of a semi truck, sleeps my beloved in his 80,000 pound rolling home. My husband is a truck driver. He just left TX and I was relieved to know that he got away from Ike in time, I didn’t look at Ike’s path inland, and I didn’t realize Ike would be following his route into the northeast.
As a truck driver’s wife, I have learned, out of necessity, to read maps, to read weather reports and to track weather systems to help my husband make his way through it all. I have on my computer the weather channel, traffic report and MapQuest in my favorites ready to give directions and to try to outmaneuver traffic, construction and even the weather. As I watch the path of Ike, I realize in horror that in next few hours this system filled with rain and winds will be turning and heading for Arkansas and creating havoc in his path. I call him and try to warn him so he can get out. No answer. Does that mean that there is no signal? Is the storm already hitting? The radar and the map say no but I cannot help myself, I panic. I start pulling up reports, local weather news and even newspapers so I can see if he is stuck in the storm or if he will be able to get out… after 53 seconds of anxiety, the phone rings. He had been woken up by the activity of the other trucks rolling out; he was prepping his truck and getting ready to leave. We tracked the path inland and saw that he may still make Maryland ahead of the system, I can breathe again.
I have learned that regardless of where I live, because of my husband’s occupation, I am affected by what happens somewhere else. As the mother in Texas prays that her home isn’t too battered by the storm, I join her prayer in hoping that my husband can outrun this storm and make it safely to his next delivery. Hurricane, snow, rain, tornadoes and all kinds of disasters affect “people” out there, every day. It wasn’t until Tony started driving that I realized that it has nothing to do with people out there, things like that affects us all.
You are nowhere near TX? Its ok, the increase in gas prices will affect you regardless of where you are. The early ice storm in Colorado has nothing to do with you? Unlikely, unless you are a vegetarian and you don’t consume meat or drink milk, in that case their loss in cattle would mean nothing to you, then again, it will affect someone you know. As different areas of the world are affected by nature, slowly we begin to realize that those things affect us all. We might not be as personally affected as someone who has lost their home, but in some way you will be affected.
It can affect what you consume because it is produced in that area or the consequences and losses will affect the nation’s budget, therefore your pocket. We are in a time where we can see how we are all interconnected, one way or another, and so you cannot turn your face and ignore their plight. As a society, we are as strong as our weakest member. You cannot look away and say it doesn’t affect me, their problem, I don’t care. Some way, some how, at one point or another we are all affected by one another.
So as you wake up this morning, offer a thought, a moment of reflection, prayer, meditation, monetary donation or your time or whatever you are inspired to do for those who are braving this storm, pray that after Ike has his way, that we are not too devastated by the losses. Pray that together we can all repair, rebuild, restore if not the material losses, at least the hope and faith that United we stand.
The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. -Elie Wiesel
Son las 3 de la mañana y una extraña presion en el pecho me saco de la cama y en busca de alivio. Que raro, las ventanas estan cerradas y mis alergias, que usualmente me causan ataques de asma, no me pueden estar afectando, pero aun asi, mi cuerpo me pide que busque alivio. Encuentro la medicina, tomo la dosis apropiada y ahora me toca esperar a que la medicina haga efecto. Mientras espero, me pregunto que estara pasando con Ike y como la estara pasando la gente de Texas. Yo no conozco a nadie en Texas, pero mi hijo nacio ahi, asi que siento una leve conneccion con la ciudad.
Prendo la computadora y me pierdo en su despertar Ruidoso, en lo que me preparo mi te y tostada, si tomo café ahorita no puedo regresar a la cama y todavia tengo tiempo antes de que los chicos se despierten. Busco en la internet el web site de el clima y trato de descifrar lo que esta pasando, interpretando reportes que inducen al panico.
Si alguna vez has vivido en una area propensa a huracanes, entonces ya estas familiarizado con los terminos rafaga de viento y presion barometrica y sabes tambien de que los noticieros tienden a predecir el fin del mundo y al fin y al cabo, ni llueve. Despues de que corristes al Mercado a comprar velas, latas y agua, despues que te peleastes con cinco personas por la ultima bolsa de carbon, no pasa nada. Bueno mas vale prevenir, que lamentar.
Para mi los huracanes son los peores, tienes como una semana para verlo creciendo en el caribe y escuchando reportes que dicen que es possible, pero no seguro, de que talvez, quizas, pueda destrozar tu casa y tu vida, pero no te podemos decir a ciencia cierta hasta unas cuantas horas antes. Que va,mis nervios no pueden con eso. Despues de Vilma y 17 dias sin luz, hice mis maletas y le dije adios al sur de la Florida y a su ruleta rusa con el clima.
Eso no quiere decir de que el clima en Ohio sea mejor. El año pasado, la tormenta de nieve y hielo, me dejaron en duda de que talvez me fui de Guatemala a Guatepeor, pero bueno, al hecho, pecho.
Al mirar los reportes de Ike, le pido a Dios de que la gente en Texas no la pase muy feo, que pase ya el huracan, rapidito y sin mayor perdida, pero los rojos de el radar muestran que este sistema viene con mucha lluvia y viento, y que es tan grande de que llega hasta Luisiana y Arkansas.
No, no Arkansas.
Porque no Arkansas? No, ninguno de mis hijos nacieron ahi, no tengo amigos, ni conocidos en ese estado. Pero en una parada de camiones a unas cuantas millas al Sur de Little Rock, duerme mi esposo en su dormitorio de 80,000 libras y 18 llantas. Mi esposo es camionero. Anoche cuando hablamos por telefono, el habia salido de Texas a la carrera, tratando de escaparse de los vientos de Ike. No me fije cual era el camino de Ike despues de haber tocado tierra, no me di cuenta de que Ike sigue en la misma direccion de su ruta.
Ser la esposa de un camionero me ha enseñado, por necesidad, a leer mapas, reportes de el clima y hasta seguir tormentas en su senda para ver como afectan la ruta de mi esposo. Programados en mis favoritos en la computadora estan los reportes de trafico, clima y MapQuest para poder dirigir y maniobrar cualquier percance que surja en su camino. En lo que sigo el camino predicho para Ike, me doy cuenta que Ike esta persiguiendolo y que la lluvia y vientos van siguiendo su ruta.
Lo llamo para despertarlo y decirle que tiene que irse de Arkansas, ya! Nadie contesta. Que quiere decir eso?? Ya empezo la tormenta, ha afectado las torres, no hay señal? El radar y el mapa dicen que no, pero el panico me cierra el pecho de nuevo y me duele hasta respirar. Empiezo a buscar reportes locales, los noticieros de Arkansas y hasta los periodicos para ver que esta pasando y si el esta estancado en la mitad de este huracan. Mover el camion durante vientos fuertes podria llevar a que el camion se volque, es peligroso. Despues de 53 segundos de panico y ansiedad, el telefono suena. El ya estaba despierto, la parada esta vacia ya todos los camioneros saben de que viene el viento y la lluvia y todos estan evacuando. Ahora conciente de Ike, seguimos la trayectoria dentro de el pais y vimos de que es possible de que llegue a Maryland, antes de la lluvia. Me volvio el alma al cuerpo, ya puedo respirar.
He aprendido de que no importa donde yo viva, las cosas que pasan en todo el pais de alguna forma me afectan por el trabajo de mi esposo. Asi como la madre en Texas que reza por que su casa no se la lleve el viento, yo me uno a su plegaria y le pido a Dios y a todos mis antepasados que cuiden a Tony y que pueda llegar sano y salvo a su proxima entrega. Huracanes, lluvia, nieve, hielo, todo tipo de desastres afectan a millones de personas en todos lados.No fue hasta que Tony empezo a manejar comercialmenteque me di cuenta que lo que le afecta a esos millones, tambien me afecta a mi, a ti, a todos.
No estas cerca a Texas? No importa, la subida de precio de la gasolina te afecta donde estes. Las consecuencias y perdidas tambien afectan el presupuesto nacional, por lo tanto, tu bolsillo. La tormenta de hielo en Colorado no te afecta? Las perdidas de ganado puede que no te afecten si eres vegetariano y no comas carne y no tomes leche, pero te apuesto que si le afectan directamente a alguien que tu conoces. Estamos en una epoca donde es facil ver como estamos todos interconectados, de alguna forma u otra, ya no podemos voltear la cara e ignorar la necesidad de otros. Como sociedad, somos tan Fuertes como nuestro miembro mas debil. No puedes hacerte de la vista gorda e ignorar lo que les pasa, no puedes decir no me afecta, no es mi problema o que me importa. De alguna forma, todos estamos afectados.
En lo que comienza tu dia, ofrece un pensamiento, una plegaria, una meditacion una donacion, tu tiempo, o lo que te nazca a todos los que se han tenido que enfrentar directamente a este huracan o otro desastre natural. Pide de que despues de que pase el huracan, las perdidas no sean demasiadas.Pide de que juntos, podamos reparar, reconstruir y reponer . Sino las cosas materiales al menos, restauremos la fe y esperanza de que Unidos, perseveramemos.
Lo opuesto al amor no es el odio, es la indiferencia . -Elie Wiesel
Brand new baby
There is something magical about holding a brand new baby. The perfection of their dimensions, their chubby little legs and arms, that angelic semblance that you can stare at for hours as if it held the answer to life’s ultimate questions. Today I had the pleasure of holding a baby for an hour. It is the baby of a friend and while this friend and I are not extremely close, this child inspired in me a surge of protectiveness and I instinctively knew that I loved this child with all of my heart.
Don’t misunderstand, I have had three babies of my own and I know what it is like to have a child and NO, I don’t want anymore of my own, but there is still something about babies that touches me deep.
And then I thought back of all the babies that I have held. I remember holding Karina with her big alert eyes, looking at everything and never missing a thing. I remember holding my Chinito and I remember being proud of him, like a father is proud of a son. I remember the bond I felt with him. I remember Jaakko and how he would steal everyone’s heart, and I remember Tatita, those big brown eyes that spoke directly to your heart.
Then there was Felicia, pretty snow white baby and Shawn, strong and big, like his grandma called him “Chon”. More babies came and went and I wasn’t around but I remember when Chelsea was born, and Lauren and Victoria and the three stooges spent their days together at Apira’s house. Our family grows exponentially, the last time we all got together, for not so happy events, I found babies that were completely new to me. Christion’s son came into my arms, hugs and kisses given to Kalisha’s baby and Jay’s kids, something in me tingled and realized that yes, they are my own. Jeffrey, K’Andre, Damian, Mikey and the rest of the children ran around the house oblivious to the sad fact that death loomed near, simply rejoicing in the fact that we had come together.
Some of these kids were big, really big!!!! But regardless, there was something in their embrace, something in their approach, perhaps something in their blood that made me recognize them and love them at that moment, totally, unconditionally. It was like that joke everyone makes about family reunions, where you are introduced to your uncle Mike, uncle Mike traps you into a bear hug and you nod and say, “Oh yeah, Uncle Mike” as if you’ve known him all of our life. And sure, you have, you just didn’t know it yet.
So to all the new babies that I have not held, I look forward to the first embrace, to that moment of recognition where we may come together and come to know each other. To everyone else, perhaps those of you that grew up with me, or even those of you that held me when I was a baby, these children grow up without the benefit of knowing their extended family. Stories that have surrounded our family for years have broken down and become lost to the next generation. There is so much to share, so much to give.
We have wasted so much time.
Reach out, call that cousin you haven’t spoken to in years. They might be alone and hurting. Your sister that you are angry with, forget about your differences, they are not real. To that nephew that you think might be in trouble, hold his hand, this life is scary, perhaps he doesn’t know the way. Put aside your pride, your judgments, critical comments and egotistical notions, drop them all and embrace who you are, who you truly are. Our grandfather had 10 kids and their kids had a whole lot of kids and then they had kids. We may have all gone our own way, but when it comes down to it, we all came from the same place.
Don’t misunderstand, I have had three babies of my own and I know what it is like to have a child and NO, I don’t want anymore of my own, but there is still something about babies that touches me deep.
And then I thought back of all the babies that I have held. I remember holding Karina with her big alert eyes, looking at everything and never missing a thing. I remember holding my Chinito and I remember being proud of him, like a father is proud of a son. I remember the bond I felt with him. I remember Jaakko and how he would steal everyone’s heart, and I remember Tatita, those big brown eyes that spoke directly to your heart.
Then there was Felicia, pretty snow white baby and Shawn, strong and big, like his grandma called him “Chon”. More babies came and went and I wasn’t around but I remember when Chelsea was born, and Lauren and Victoria and the three stooges spent their days together at Apira’s house. Our family grows exponentially, the last time we all got together, for not so happy events, I found babies that were completely new to me. Christion’s son came into my arms, hugs and kisses given to Kalisha’s baby and Jay’s kids, something in me tingled and realized that yes, they are my own. Jeffrey, K’Andre, Damian, Mikey and the rest of the children ran around the house oblivious to the sad fact that death loomed near, simply rejoicing in the fact that we had come together.
Some of these kids were big, really big!!!! But regardless, there was something in their embrace, something in their approach, perhaps something in their blood that made me recognize them and love them at that moment, totally, unconditionally. It was like that joke everyone makes about family reunions, where you are introduced to your uncle Mike, uncle Mike traps you into a bear hug and you nod and say, “Oh yeah, Uncle Mike” as if you’ve known him all of our life. And sure, you have, you just didn’t know it yet.
So to all the new babies that I have not held, I look forward to the first embrace, to that moment of recognition where we may come together and come to know each other. To everyone else, perhaps those of you that grew up with me, or even those of you that held me when I was a baby, these children grow up without the benefit of knowing their extended family. Stories that have surrounded our family for years have broken down and become lost to the next generation. There is so much to share, so much to give.
We have wasted so much time.
Reach out, call that cousin you haven’t spoken to in years. They might be alone and hurting. Your sister that you are angry with, forget about your differences, they are not real. To that nephew that you think might be in trouble, hold his hand, this life is scary, perhaps he doesn’t know the way. Put aside your pride, your judgments, critical comments and egotistical notions, drop them all and embrace who you are, who you truly are. Our grandfather had 10 kids and their kids had a whole lot of kids and then they had kids. We may have all gone our own way, but when it comes down to it, we all came from the same place.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Communicate.... (5/21/2008)
I am going to share a story with you, a story that was shared with me and that should definitely be shared with others.
Once upon a time there was a man who lived in an impoverished village. This man left his troubled home, headed out to find his luck in the world and worked hard to make something of himself. Such were his struggles that he vowed that he would teach his children early on to work hard, make them strong, independent and self-sufficient.
His daughters learned these lessons and went out onto the world, applied their knowledge and became prosperous and abundant. They raised their children with that knowledge hoping that they will also make something better of themselves.
So here we are, we are the next generation and what will be our legacy? What will we leave the next generation? We no longer have to worry about shelter and nourishment. We are in a place that allows us opportunities to work hard and grow and improve our situation, if we so desire.
Those things have been provided to us through the sacrifice of those that came before us…
However, previous generations did not understand and value the power of communication. Previous generations found shame and judgment in sharing their life and their situation with others. Previous generations dealt with problems stoically and did not reach out for the much needed help.
I know what you are going to say, I am so busy, I have so much going on, it’s not my problem; that is not how I was raised. Those excuses are no longer valid.
We live in the age of technology, where distance from our home and families is not significant any more. There are phones, computers, cell phones, postal service and even skype. We have been given awesome tools to accomplish the next step, yet we all live in our own little corners of the world blind and deaf to what goes on around us.
Despite what we have told ourselves, family is a bond that you cannot shake. If your brother or sister is in pain, you are going to be in pain. Whether the pain is self inflicted or not. Whether the pain is redundant and voluntary, physical or emotional. You will feel it. You may decide to turn your eyes away, but your heart will still be invested. And it doesn’t have to be your brother and sister, your aunt, your uncle, your second cousin, twice removed, a friend, even someone you went to school with. If you have ever known the person and shared with the person, you will feel their pain.
And so we discover that we are interconnected, that the love we feel creates webs in our hearts and those webs reach out through distance and time. You, me, my children, your children… we are all connected.
I am not suggesting that you put tights on and a cape and rescue people randomly. I only suggest that you let them know, through whichever communication method you prefer, that you are there. Just let them know that they matter. Let them know that you care. Put away your pride, your judgments, your criticism and your advice, your sense of right and wrong and your misguided intentions. . And be present with them, be in the moment that they are in and tell them how you feel about them.
So let me be the first one to say it now. I love you. You are important to me. If you are in pain, if you feel lonely, if life has you down and you don’t know what to do, I am here for you. I love you unconditionally. There is nothing you could have done, said or been that will make me love you any less. NOTHING. Perhaps I haven’t talked to you in a long time; perhaps we just got off the phone. Regardless, if you are receiving this, you are loved. We will go through your difficult times together and we will also celebrate together.
This is our gift to the next generation. COMMUNICATION.
Now, make the decision to break the chains of what they taught us or what they didn’t teach us and turn around and reach out to someone….
You are loved
Voy a compartir una historia con ustedes. Una historia que compartieron conmigo, que deberia ser compartida con otros,.
Habia una vez en un pueblo pobre un hombre que tuvo que trabajar bastante yy sacrificar mucho para poder vivir. Este hombre la paso tan dificil que le enseño a sus hijos a trabajar, tal como el lo habia hecho. El queria que fueran Fuertes, independientes, auto-suficientes.
Sus hijos asimilaron esta leccion y salieron al mundo, aplicaron las lecciones de su padre y crearon una vida prospera y abundante. A su vez ellos pasaron esta leccion a sus hijos con la esperanza de que ellos superaran lo que ellos habian logrado.
Y ahora nos toca a nosotros. Nosotros somos la proxima generacion. Cual es nuestro herencia a la proxima generacion? Ya no tenemos que preocuparnos por tener que comer y tener donde vivir. Estamos en una situacion que nos permite, si eso deseamos, salir adelante y mejorarnos dia a dia. Eso fue lo que nos dejo la generacion anterior como leccion.
Sin embargo, generaciones anteriores no supieron el beneficio de la comunicacion, tal como la entendemos ahora. Generaciones anteriores no pudieron expresarse libremente por el que diran y por verguenza de que los vayan a juzgar. Generaciones anteriores aprendieron a vivir con el sube-y-baja de la vida solos, sin decirle nada a nadie por perjuicios que alguien mas les impuso.
Ya se lo que van a decir. No tengo tiempo, no es mi problema, a mi no me criaron asi. Esas excusas ya no son validas.
Vivimos en un tiempo donde la tecnologia nos permite comunicarnos a nivel global. Estar lejos de nuestos seres queridos por que vivimos en diferentes lugares ya no es excusa. Existen telefonos, computadoras, celulares, correo, skype. El mundo nos ha dado herramientas increibles para crecer y aprender y compartir, pero muchas veces permanecemos en nuestras esquinitas de el mundo, ciegos y sordos a lo que pasa a nuestro alrededor.
A pesar de que nos hemos tratado de convencer de que no, la familia es un lazo permanente. Si tu hermano y tu hermana sufre, tu sufres con ellos. Asi el dolor sea a consecuencia de sus acciones, asi sea voluntario y repetitivo. Asi el dolor sea fisico o emocional. Tu lo sientes. Puedes voltear tus ojos y tratar de pretender que no sufren, pero tu corazon lo sabe y tu lo sientes. Y no tiene que ser tu hermano o tu hermana. Tu tia, tu tio, tu primo lejano, tu amigo y hasta un compañero de trabajo. Si en algun momento has compartido con la persona, de alguna forma estas afectado.
Y es asi como descubrimos de que estamos conectados. Que el cariño que algun dia sentimos no dejo de existir sino que dejo huellas en nuestro corazon que siguen a pesar de el tiempo, a pesar de la distancia, a pesar de la vida. Tu, yo, mis hijos, tus hijos, todos estamos conectados.
Entonces dejale saber a esa persona de que los quieres, no te gusta hablar, esta bien, escribeles una carta, mandale un email, solamente dejales saber que ellos son importantes para ti. Deja el orgullo, los perjuicios, la critica y el consejo de lado. Solamente comparte un momento con alguien a quien tu quieres y aprovecha la oportunidad para decirles lo que ellos significan para ti.
Dejame tomar el primer paso. Te quiero. Eres tan importante para mi. Si estas sufriendo, si te sientes solo, y no sabes que hacer. No te preocupes, no estas solo. Apoyate en mi, que juntos podemos. Te quiero incondicionalmente. No importa lo que hayas dicho o hecho. No importa la persona que seas. Te quiero. No hay nada que puedas hacer o decir o ser que vaya a cambiar lo que siento por ti. Talvez no hablemos en muchos años, talvez hablamos esta mañana. Si estas recibiendo este mensaje es porque eres importante para mi y te quiero.
Esta es la leccion que tenemos que dejarle a las proximas generaciones. COMUNICACION. No dejes de decirle a esa persona lo mucho que significa para ti. Enseñale a tus hijos, a tus nietos que una persona no es un mundo, que somos partes de algo mas grande, que somos parte de una comunidad, de una familia que crece con el tiempo.
Communicate….
Te quiero…
Once upon a time there was a man who lived in an impoverished village. This man left his troubled home, headed out to find his luck in the world and worked hard to make something of himself. Such were his struggles that he vowed that he would teach his children early on to work hard, make them strong, independent and self-sufficient.
His daughters learned these lessons and went out onto the world, applied their knowledge and became prosperous and abundant. They raised their children with that knowledge hoping that they will also make something better of themselves.
So here we are, we are the next generation and what will be our legacy? What will we leave the next generation? We no longer have to worry about shelter and nourishment. We are in a place that allows us opportunities to work hard and grow and improve our situation, if we so desire.
Those things have been provided to us through the sacrifice of those that came before us…
However, previous generations did not understand and value the power of communication. Previous generations found shame and judgment in sharing their life and their situation with others. Previous generations dealt with problems stoically and did not reach out for the much needed help.
I know what you are going to say, I am so busy, I have so much going on, it’s not my problem; that is not how I was raised. Those excuses are no longer valid.
We live in the age of technology, where distance from our home and families is not significant any more. There are phones, computers, cell phones, postal service and even skype. We have been given awesome tools to accomplish the next step, yet we all live in our own little corners of the world blind and deaf to what goes on around us.
Despite what we have told ourselves, family is a bond that you cannot shake. If your brother or sister is in pain, you are going to be in pain. Whether the pain is self inflicted or not. Whether the pain is redundant and voluntary, physical or emotional. You will feel it. You may decide to turn your eyes away, but your heart will still be invested. And it doesn’t have to be your brother and sister, your aunt, your uncle, your second cousin, twice removed, a friend, even someone you went to school with. If you have ever known the person and shared with the person, you will feel their pain.
And so we discover that we are interconnected, that the love we feel creates webs in our hearts and those webs reach out through distance and time. You, me, my children, your children… we are all connected.
I am not suggesting that you put tights on and a cape and rescue people randomly. I only suggest that you let them know, through whichever communication method you prefer, that you are there. Just let them know that they matter. Let them know that you care. Put away your pride, your judgments, your criticism and your advice, your sense of right and wrong and your misguided intentions. . And be present with them, be in the moment that they are in and tell them how you feel about them.
So let me be the first one to say it now. I love you. You are important to me. If you are in pain, if you feel lonely, if life has you down and you don’t know what to do, I am here for you. I love you unconditionally. There is nothing you could have done, said or been that will make me love you any less. NOTHING. Perhaps I haven’t talked to you in a long time; perhaps we just got off the phone. Regardless, if you are receiving this, you are loved. We will go through your difficult times together and we will also celebrate together.
This is our gift to the next generation. COMMUNICATION.
Now, make the decision to break the chains of what they taught us or what they didn’t teach us and turn around and reach out to someone….
You are loved
Voy a compartir una historia con ustedes. Una historia que compartieron conmigo, que deberia ser compartida con otros,.
Habia una vez en un pueblo pobre un hombre que tuvo que trabajar bastante yy sacrificar mucho para poder vivir. Este hombre la paso tan dificil que le enseño a sus hijos a trabajar, tal como el lo habia hecho. El queria que fueran Fuertes, independientes, auto-suficientes.
Sus hijos asimilaron esta leccion y salieron al mundo, aplicaron las lecciones de su padre y crearon una vida prospera y abundante. A su vez ellos pasaron esta leccion a sus hijos con la esperanza de que ellos superaran lo que ellos habian logrado.
Y ahora nos toca a nosotros. Nosotros somos la proxima generacion. Cual es nuestro herencia a la proxima generacion? Ya no tenemos que preocuparnos por tener que comer y tener donde vivir. Estamos en una situacion que nos permite, si eso deseamos, salir adelante y mejorarnos dia a dia. Eso fue lo que nos dejo la generacion anterior como leccion.
Sin embargo, generaciones anteriores no supieron el beneficio de la comunicacion, tal como la entendemos ahora. Generaciones anteriores no pudieron expresarse libremente por el que diran y por verguenza de que los vayan a juzgar. Generaciones anteriores aprendieron a vivir con el sube-y-baja de la vida solos, sin decirle nada a nadie por perjuicios que alguien mas les impuso.
Ya se lo que van a decir. No tengo tiempo, no es mi problema, a mi no me criaron asi. Esas excusas ya no son validas.
Vivimos en un tiempo donde la tecnologia nos permite comunicarnos a nivel global. Estar lejos de nuestos seres queridos por que vivimos en diferentes lugares ya no es excusa. Existen telefonos, computadoras, celulares, correo, skype. El mundo nos ha dado herramientas increibles para crecer y aprender y compartir, pero muchas veces permanecemos en nuestras esquinitas de el mundo, ciegos y sordos a lo que pasa a nuestro alrededor.
A pesar de que nos hemos tratado de convencer de que no, la familia es un lazo permanente. Si tu hermano y tu hermana sufre, tu sufres con ellos. Asi el dolor sea a consecuencia de sus acciones, asi sea voluntario y repetitivo. Asi el dolor sea fisico o emocional. Tu lo sientes. Puedes voltear tus ojos y tratar de pretender que no sufren, pero tu corazon lo sabe y tu lo sientes. Y no tiene que ser tu hermano o tu hermana. Tu tia, tu tio, tu primo lejano, tu amigo y hasta un compañero de trabajo. Si en algun momento has compartido con la persona, de alguna forma estas afectado.
Y es asi como descubrimos de que estamos conectados. Que el cariño que algun dia sentimos no dejo de existir sino que dejo huellas en nuestro corazon que siguen a pesar de el tiempo, a pesar de la distancia, a pesar de la vida. Tu, yo, mis hijos, tus hijos, todos estamos conectados.
Entonces dejale saber a esa persona de que los quieres, no te gusta hablar, esta bien, escribeles una carta, mandale un email, solamente dejales saber que ellos son importantes para ti. Deja el orgullo, los perjuicios, la critica y el consejo de lado. Solamente comparte un momento con alguien a quien tu quieres y aprovecha la oportunidad para decirles lo que ellos significan para ti.
Dejame tomar el primer paso. Te quiero. Eres tan importante para mi. Si estas sufriendo, si te sientes solo, y no sabes que hacer. No te preocupes, no estas solo. Apoyate en mi, que juntos podemos. Te quiero incondicionalmente. No importa lo que hayas dicho o hecho. No importa la persona que seas. Te quiero. No hay nada que puedas hacer o decir o ser que vaya a cambiar lo que siento por ti. Talvez no hablemos en muchos años, talvez hablamos esta mañana. Si estas recibiendo este mensaje es porque eres importante para mi y te quiero.
Esta es la leccion que tenemos que dejarle a las proximas generaciones. COMUNICACION. No dejes de decirle a esa persona lo mucho que significa para ti. Enseñale a tus hijos, a tus nietos que una persona no es un mundo, que somos partes de algo mas grande, que somos parte de una comunidad, de una familia que crece con el tiempo.
Communicate….
Te quiero…
A little light for us all, 12/16/2007
The hardest lesson for me to learn throughout this experience is to deal with the loneliness. I come from a huge family, my grandparents did not believe in television. We are about 150 here in the states only; we are dispersed throughout the country. Truthfully, we have spread out. We have created many separate little families throughout and although we strive to remain close, sometimes it doesn’t just work out.
In my immediate family, there’s only my mother, my children and I left. I have lost a sister and just this last year my father. All of my extended family and my friends are everywhere else. So I called everyone and told them all we were starting a new tradition. I urged them all to get a candle, any candle and I proposed that on nochebuena we all light this candle, I proposed that in making this little light we all connect with the ones that we wish were there to share this night with us. I propose we light this candle in honor of all of those who have in one way or another left a mark in our lives and whose little bit of essence we carry around in our hearts forever.
So I offer you this little light. I offer you this little light to honor those that are not with you on this night. Whether they are far away or have passed on, whether you still know them or not. This little light can burn for all of those who have shared of themselves with you throughout your life.
On nochebuena with my little family I will light this candle for Yalile, my beloved sister and for Rodolfo, my father. I will recall the wonderful times we share and pass them on to my children so that they live on forever. I will light the candle for my aunts and uncles and cousins galore, for my nieces and nephews and for my great nieces and great nephews. For all the friends that throughout the years have become family and for the wonderful people that have somehow touched my life. And I will light this candle for each and all of you, because I am grateful for your presence in my life and because being here with you everyday and sharing the tidbits of life we share, makes me appreciate all the wonderful things in all of you and helps me feel a little less lonely. I invite you to honor those who have come into your life and to put our differences aside and celebrate this season of love.
In my immediate family, there’s only my mother, my children and I left. I have lost a sister and just this last year my father. All of my extended family and my friends are everywhere else. So I called everyone and told them all we were starting a new tradition. I urged them all to get a candle, any candle and I proposed that on nochebuena we all light this candle, I proposed that in making this little light we all connect with the ones that we wish were there to share this night with us. I propose we light this candle in honor of all of those who have in one way or another left a mark in our lives and whose little bit of essence we carry around in our hearts forever.
So I offer you this little light. I offer you this little light to honor those that are not with you on this night. Whether they are far away or have passed on, whether you still know them or not. This little light can burn for all of those who have shared of themselves with you throughout your life.
On nochebuena with my little family I will light this candle for Yalile, my beloved sister and for Rodolfo, my father. I will recall the wonderful times we share and pass them on to my children so that they live on forever. I will light the candle for my aunts and uncles and cousins galore, for my nieces and nephews and for my great nieces and great nephews. For all the friends that throughout the years have become family and for the wonderful people that have somehow touched my life. And I will light this candle for each and all of you, because I am grateful for your presence in my life and because being here with you everyday and sharing the tidbits of life we share, makes me appreciate all the wonderful things in all of you and helps me feel a little less lonely. I invite you to honor those who have come into your life and to put our differences aside and celebrate this season of love.
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