Thursday, February 19, 2009

Too Close For Comfort



I remember a tremendous comfort I felt, after my daughter found a little piece of root.

It was eleven years ago.

We already had plans to move to the United States, but that was impossible for me, because first, I had to be, see and breathe at a place I lived so happy with my family when I was a child, before my mom died.She died when I was twelve years old, and I am the oldest of six.

There is a beautiful place I remember! Every summer my dad made a circle fence with barbed wire, just in front of the river were two big wanavana trees. Those were around five feet apart from each other, those made the arc of the door.

In the circle was only one room to sleep, the kitchen was under the trees, like camping. Some times my brothers, sisters and I were eating and we stood up and ran to jump in the river. It was so fun, unexplainable.

At that time, before we came to the U.S.A. I lived in Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico.

My kids already knew about this special place for me, and they wanted to be there too. We took a bus from Guadalajara to Talpa, then other bus from Talpa to Llano Grande, then a truck to the river. When we arrived there, my kids said, "Where is it mom? Where is it?"

"Do you see those big rocks, and those trees?" I said, "There it is!" My kids started to run to be first. Just gotten there my oldest daughter, Lili, bent down and said, "Mom see, look I found it!" It was an amazing dried root, but it is like a circle, it grew back around in it self. I never saw something like that. For me it is very special. It is like a symbol, made together by my mom, my daughter, and me. It's why when we came to Colorado I could not leave it behind. I did not care if I didn't have room in the luggage. My priority was to bring my root.


It is always in the living room, reminding me of the power of God, my childhood, from where I am and who I am.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

mom, i am so proud of you.we have come a long way since then but i will never forget those moments that are so simple but so meaningfull.

i love you Lilia

Anonymous said...

That's good to remember from where we came from and show our kids a small part of our past life and still having good memories about that.
CONGRATULATIONS for your first publication!

Anonymous said...

GOOD JOB MOM...ITS A REALLY GOOD STORY..WOOT WOOT!! GO MOM..I NEVER KNEW THAT, THATS HOW U HAD GOTTEN IT YESENIA

Anonymous said...

Beautiful story! Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful story! Thank you for sharing.

Johanna said...

Wow! What a great story. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Misti said...

What a great story! Thank you for sharing a special memory!

Joy said...

You are correct that when we leave a place, that place continues to be a part of us. Thank you for writing about your sweet memory.

Lisa said...

This is a really moving piece of writing. I enjoyed the image that you created. I was near Guadalajara last year and we stayed on a river. It was a wonderful place full of magic. I can see the magic you talk about too. Thank you for your story!

Pete Denzin said...

What a beautiful story, Angeles (and what a beautiful name you have, too). I know what you mean about treasuring a found object which reminds you of a special place. Visiting Chaco Canyon in Arizona thirty years ago, I had a religious time-travel experience wandering through the Anasazi ruins. I still have and treasure a flat circular blonde sandstone rock I found there. It always sits on my bookshelf to remind me of that moment of peace and unity with a world beyond time. I'm sure your root always takes you back to your wanavana trees and your loving parents.

Silvia Palomera said...

Love you Story, you are more than right about memories in the past are unforgetable,but the best part is that you got to live it with your family. Thanks for sharing this. I hope that the same root that is keeping you togeter, keeps you the same way with your family.

Karen said...

Angeles,

I will always remember whne you shared that story with me. I was impresssed by your insistent desire to make the images clear to the listeners even as you struggled to find the right words. I am so glad I could finally see a photo of this root. Now I will have a picture in my mind forever.