Traditions that Keep You Alive


Matias, since you were born, Roberto and I started to make decisions driven by the immense love we felt for you. Our biggest desire was to enable you to live life to the fullest; to enjoy many different experiences and, furthermost, to have options. Honduras, being the  beautiful country that it is, at that moment, seized to be the better option. The day that your father shared the news that his position in the company he worked for was being eliminated, I immediately knew it was the beginning of a new stage in our lives.

Monterrey became the most sensible option, being that your father had family that would be able to support us in the transition process. When you finally got here, being a one year old toddler, you embraced that transition so naturally. You welcomed your new family with excitement and such love, that made me adapt with grace and optimism to a new culture. All I wanted was you to be happy, and I immediately felt that here in Monterrey, this would be possible. This feeling became clearer when you were three years old and we went to the movies to see "The Book of Life", movie based on the "Day of the Dead" Mexican tradition. Despite the fact you were only three years old, it was  surprising to see how well you understood the message. After that, you would ask to watch the movie again and again, each time, excited to share with us new insight of the celebration and what it meant. Even though your interest caught my attention a few times, back them I connected it to your innate curious nature. Later, when you were five, you made reference to the movie again, when you went out to dinner with dad, and he gave you the news that you were going to be promoted to Kinder coming back from Christmas Break. You expressed somewhat of concern by asking him: "Are my PK-A friends going to remember me as in the movie "The Book of Life"? At that moment, your dad, innocently, interpreted your concern to the fact that you would not see them on a daily basis. But it was going to be three months later  that we both would clearly understand the true reason why you had asked that question.

You are a smart and beautiful being, and every day that passes, I unveil a new discovery of how you guided our lives to prepare us for this moment. You made sure that we would always be given the opportunity to celebrate your life. This amazing tradition, that I started to understand that day, when we both went together to the movies, has now become one of my favorite times of the year. I now know that three days after I celebrate my birthday, I will celebrate your life, and that is you making sure that mommy has something to look forward to during her birthday season. This is your eternal gift for mommy's birthday. In life you made sure to give me flowers for my birthday, now, you make sure that I can celebrate and share your life with those who surround me. I continue to feel the immense love we shared. You continue to be so present in my life. 

Nineteen months have passed since I saw your beautiful face, and heard your amazing laugh for the last time; and it was the 9th grade generation, a wonderful group of students, who through their Spanish class, and guided by two great teachers (Antonieta and Elisa), decided to give me the best gift ever. They decided to build the "Altar" for the "Day of the Dead" celebration in your honor. Sofia, Mariana and Juan (with the help of many others) made sure to capture your true essence. They wanted the Middle School/High School community to truly know what a magnificent little boy you were. They were the "Earth Angels" you assigned to make sure that I would be able to get through a very emotional season of the year. 

Now I understand why you guided us to such a beautiful country, full of beautiful traditions, traditions that celebrate life, and most of all love. You knew that these traditions would alleviate the heartbreak this life experience conveys. Regardless of the pain, your love will always prevail, and will continue to guide us on this new stage in our lives. You will continue to be our forever guiding force. I will continue to live wanting you to be proud of me. Thank you, my love, for such an amazing gift.  

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