Day 48 o el dia cuarentaocho

Hola, mi gente! Ay! Estoy muy glad to be back to L.A. Yea, yea, I know the east coast is completely different. It is like night and day in comparing the two coasts. It's been awhile since I blogged so I have so much to say, but I'll keep it at a layer. After family drama, a quiet little apartment, empty with stirs of creaks and muffled voices above and outside my door, seemed like a reassuring refuge. I was home. I threw my suitcases down with a sigh of relief, almost wanting to kiss my floor. I spent two weeks in the cold and hectic madness from the Christmas drama. Where's the peace, when you got a crazy family, huh? But anyways, I am keeping that in the past. Well hey, it's a new year, the soul searching, for me is still continuing but at a much more active level. People often want to improve at once! Not allowing to coat the layers of paint properly so it can dry to a smooth finish. It is in layering that builds the texture and smoothness that you desire. As I continue my espanol journey, I write with continued new spirit. I have so many goals to accomplish and I know deep in my heart with my trust in God that he will push me along to make them happen.

Dec 26th 2009- east coast

My tia and mi gemela gathered together to have dinner at a nice restaurant that evening and we had not seen each other for a few months. We were happy.

"Your mom is never going to forgive our family."

"It's not that, Tia, it's cuz she's done with wanting anything to do with our father's side of the family. She had to raise us and she has no use to be anyone's freind. Can't you see she had a rough time and doesn't want to be associated."

"I can't say I blame her, with my brothers being players and all. But your dad really loves you girls, though. He's trying."

She was right. Mi papi had sent Christmas cards and gifts and every now and then a true heartfelt email or phonecall. He was in Florida and tried his best to communicate with us, now that he renewed a relationship with his kids. We got our hot dishes and began to chow down. It wasn't Puerto Rican food, instead a warm pizza, aroma scenting the air of sweet sauce and basil. It was good seeing her again, knowing more of a connection inside my heart with mi familia. She talked about the drama and small things about life and began illustrating the story of Los Reyes. I had just missed it by a day, Jan 5th, the tradition of Three Kings Day that begins on the eve of January 5th. She told us how the children would go outside to cut grass and place it in shoeboxes, symbolizing straw for the camels and the shoebox for the bed for baby Jesus. This was placed under the beds of family members for the camels to eat and Los Reyes to come. And during the night Los Reyes would come and the camels would eat the grass the children had left and Los Reyes would then fill the shoe boxes with gifts, and sweets, and other goodies. It is a Puerto Rican tradition to do this instead of waiting for Santa. My tia explained the Puerto Rican tradition of Navidad, and the true meaning of Christmas and how it is meant to celebrate the birth of God's son, Jesus Christ. I loved her telling us the story and sharing the tradition. Next year I am going to do that. We took photos and stood to leave out the door, leaving warm memories to linger and roots to share.

As manana approaches, new things come to light. I have a guilty pleasure of loving Shakira's music so I am now learning the lyrics to La Loba and Lo Hecho Esta Hecho. I love her poetic style and music tastes. She is truly unique and stands out from other artists. I have yet to conquer all, but like my spanish, it's pieces of the puzzle that put together a complete project. Yo me voy..I keep trucking..