Thursday, August 30, 2012

Ode to a People

hello from my heart to yours...

"Gracias por dejarte conocer... trajistes mucha alegria con tu visita..."  
(Thank you for letting us know you... you brought much happiness with your visit..)        Carlos aka Poco Pelo

Isn't that a beautiful sentiment? One of my mother's friends in Costambar, Dominican Republic, said that to me as I was leaving for the bus.. funny thing is that I was thinking how being with all of them brought me much happiness... but the compliment goes deeper than that really... I cried... I felt so humbled.. I felt a little sad... maybe the meaning gets lost in translation... I don't know.. but it really affected me so... "gracias por dejarte conocer" ... as if people don't let others know them? hmmm.. well... yes... do people just naturally let others know them? not really, huh? I find it hard to comprehend because I am so open .. I wear my heart on my sleeve.. but then again, I am so reserved really and only allow people to know what I want them to know... "a lot" of people know "a little" about me..... what is a constant is though, is that I do try to bring only happiness to each relationship... there's no reason to be an "oh woe is me" kind of person even if my heart is aching.... and that is what I found so fascinating about the people with whom my parents share their lives with in D.R. .. they can all be "llorando la miseria.. (crying poverty...their misery) ... and they don't.. they are the richest people in spirit... they share every little thing they have.. but most of all, they share themselves...

They wake up thankful for the day... the minute the curtains are opened, you hear salutations through the windows... there is a calm feeling in the little breeze that comes through the screen... my dad makes a full pot of coffee and invites the people of the building to come in and share a cup.. they eat some crackers with butter and wait for the electricity to go out for the morning... Carlos is the building caretaker.. a humble servant, who trades his services, to the residents of the 8 apartment building, for a place to sleep.. a 40 square foot utility shed... his only income is cooking lunch at a place behind an abandoned resort that the "owners" made into a bar/restaurant... I say "owners" because these people saw this empty space and simply set up shop... anyway, after he cooks there, he walks through the building asking if anyone needs anything.. he'll walk my cousin's dog, bring some bottled water to the guys upstairs, exchange a few words with my dad and then, he usually naps at the beach on the chairs they rent out only on the weekends... most of the money he makes, he sends to his son who lives 6 driving hours away at a school for the deaf... 

At all times of the day, there is no lack of conversation.. people walk up and down the street to the beach area and look into the apartment and wave.. if my parents want to, they wave them in.. "ven, ven" (come, come) ... if not, they just wave back... nothing is very private really... I would get up, have coffee and then, wash the clothes that we wore the day before by hand (before the electricity went out because then there is no water pressure from the cistern) ... walk up to the rooftop and hang everything on the line... there is a mattress on the rooftop under a small overhang that used to be a bar... Rossi (a guy who works at the port and lives on the 2nd floor) sleeps there a lot... he has a bed in his room, but their apartment doesn't have an inverter generator so he says it's much cooler just to sleep up there... anyway, if there were clothes on the line, I would fold them and just put them on a chair for their rightful owner... from the rooftop, you can see what all the neighbors are doing... and everyone waves happily at one another... 

and the morning continues with a "project" .... there is always a "project" and usually it is very challenging to get anything done for lack of... you don't just go to home depot and buy everything and more than you need.. my mother and I spent one morning trying to fix the freezer door... we ended up using some wire to hold it shut.. we made a little hook to connect the sides and she is the only one that knows how to open it... another day, I spent trying to connect her to the world... there is internet there, but no home phones.. thank goodness for MagicJack.. and it is magical IF you can get it to work... it did work sometimes and my dad was ecstatic... we painted the pool area and the little pump house... I fixed the bed frame... we unclogged the outdoor shower pipes... and we sat around talking about all the things that needed to be done, but probably wouldn't be... 

Close to lunchtime, I would take a walk to the little store... buy a large Bohemia beer and a strawberry drink for Giorgio... and people would ask, "tu eres la hija de Dona Maria..la de los caballos, verdad?" (you are daughter of Maria..the one with the horses, right?) ... yep, that would be me... you would think I was 17 years old or something the way they would say it... but they were happy to know that Dona Maria had family visiting... and not that it is surprising to me, but my parents are very loved by the people in their little town... one of the days I was there, my dad became dehydrated.. he is 84 yrs old and well, doesn't really follow anyone's advice... thankfully my uncle lives in Costambar, also, and took him to the clinic in the other town... I stayed behind painting, after all, they were just going for a quick "rehydration"... I was left without a phone and my only charge was to make sure Rossi called the electrician the minute the electricity came back on so that he could fix the wall A/C... well, it was as if the radio had broadcast the news of my dad going to the clinic.. everyone kept walking over to ask how Don Pablo was.. and if I needed anything... they probably thought I was the most insensitive daughter on earth as I leisurely painted the blocks saying. "I suppose he's alright.. I don't have a phone...but if it were grave, my uncle would've come back for me..thanks for asking though..." .. oh the blank looks... but regardless of what they thought of me.. their gestures of love gave me great comfort... they felt like family...

Probably the best part of being there was Willy coming to get Giorgio every day to ride horses.. Willy has grown up with my mother and her horses.. I think he was 11 years old when he became "the horse whisperer" (as Giovanni & Giancarlo would call him..) he is 21 now... but, not really.. there is no diagnosis.. he is smart.. he is sweet.. he is bratty.. he goes out and he "courts" girls in their patios.. so respectful and loving... and he handles the horses so naturally... I see the potential in him... everyone sees the potential in him... but, he doesn't.... now that my mother is there more permanently though, I think she will teach him to see it... she's good at that.... anyway, the freedom my child felt riding on the beach and then a mountain and then the beach again was spectacular... he'd say, "this must be what heaven's like" ... sure, we were on vacation.. but the people we were with daily, were not on vacation.. this is how they live... free... they work a little, nap a little, play a little, talk a little... no wait, they talk A LOT... but its nice.. really nice... and they LET you know them...

So, I say to them... "Gracias por dejarte conocer.."  now that I know these people.. these God-filled, faithful, hopeful and loving people.. I have a totally different view of what is important in life... (not that I didn't already know..) ... but they confirm it... I could go on and on about them individually, Carlos, Rossi & Willy (the ones closest to my parents) ... each one's life told to me as we sat smoking cigars with my dad on the patio.. but told to me with happiness and pride.. all that they do, they do for their families... they do for the people that they love... and they love so easily...  I will carry all that they taught me in my heart always because..  "me trajeron mucha alegria con mi visita" ...

With every encounter that you have in your life.. with every person you meet... and with every person you already know... may you always bring them happiness.. may you let people know you.. shine your heart-light... spread love... through your words and actions, let people know that they are loved beyond measure and cherished blessings to the world ... be the blessed person God intends for you to be... 

May you be blessed and may others be blessed by you... this is my heartfelt wish for you today.... 
With love,
Elena

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