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Family values are very important to me. My father has given me his values which some of which have come from his father. My Grandfather was a great man. He and my grandmother raised 10 children. One particular value he taught me was the value of having to make difficult decisions for the greater good. One summer we were sitting on his porch, he had a hen’s nest where he would get his morning eggs for breakfast. Well this morning, he noticed that the hen did not lay any eggs, so he asked me to shoot it. I told him “Grand Daddy I can’t.”  He told me that sometimes you have to make difficult decisions when it comes to feeding your family. Growing up in the deep-south during difficult times, food wasn’t plentiful and he had himself and 11 mouths to feed. The chicken could be replaced, but if there was no food on the table. The situation could be much worse. We never killed that chicken.

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This I believe…

I believe that I can be all that I can be for my daughter.  I want her to look at me and see a positive role model and know that I did everything in my power for her to be successful.  I want her to become a strong, educated woman who can survive on her own.  I want to prepare her for when I’m gone.  I don’t want her to suffer or ever feel as if she can’t make it on her own or she can’t take care of herself.  I want her to live life to the fullest with no regrets.  I believe she can do whatever she wants in life.

I see her finishing her education and enjoying life.  I see her taking all of life lessons and learning from them.  I see her being ok without me.  I believe she will be ok without me.

Where is this all coming from, I lost my mom and felt like my life was over.  I was living day by day on the outside looking like everything was ok, but on the inside, I was broken.  God blessed me with my daughter because He knew it was the only thing that would save my life.  She’s nine now and it has been my mission to make sure she will be able to survive when I am gone.

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Nature is very important to me because I grew up in a very rural area and had nature all around me. I love sitting by rivers but I also really enjoy floating down them. Fast rivers are fun but slow rivers are very relaxing. I remember one time when I went inner-tubing, I drank some water because I knew I would be thirsty later on. Then I climbed onto my big black inner-tube, got into position and pushed off from the rocky shore. Soon the slow current of the river took control and all I had to do was just hang onto the tube, which was very easy, especially in slow waters. I watched as the trees surrounding the river would slowly make their way past me. Every now and then I would paddle a little or turn my tube if I knew I was about to bump into a large rock in the river. As I float I could feel my skin slowly burning and turning crispy. I knew that I was going to end up bright red with a sunburn after this but it was so worth it. I closed my eyes and relaxed for a few minutes but I made sure not to fall asleep. I remembered the possibly fatal dangers of falling asleep while tubing a river and these kept me awake but still relaxed. The sky is so blue and immense and seemingly unending. It’s also very relaxing to close my eyes and just listen to the soft babble of the water. I could think and reflect on anything I wanted and the sound wouldn’t drown out or disturb my thoughts. It was like a soft soundtrack to my thoughts instead of reflecting in a silent vacuum.

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When I think about what has brought me the most joy in my life, a few things drift through my mind. First and foremost is my summer camp, whose logo and mantra tattooed on my ankle, a constant reminder of that place. Second is my fraternity, which gave me a brotherhood in college, my first job out of college, and numerous opportunities to mentor young men in the years since. Thirdly, I think of the words tattooed on my bicep “This is water…” which may seem like a reminder about what I am swimming in are, in fact, a constant reminder to make the right choice, even when it is challenging. Finally, I think of my gym, which challenges me to push myself to my near breaking point with every workout

When I was younger, I thought what tied all these threads together was a desire to give each day my absolute all, to “Give everything, everything.” Now, I think the through line is a desire to be better than I was the day before – an ambition rooted deep in my gut to find a way to improve.

When I think about where this desire came from, that requires a look at some things I am less than proud of. The reality is, I have made, and continue to make, a lot of mistakes and do the occasional dumb thing. Sometimes it stems from arrogance, sometimes from thoughtlessness, sometimes from more self-destructive tendencies.

I will never forget a moment from my junior year in college, when these two desires, to improve and to implode, collided and then forced me to change course.

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I believe in the power of faith in one’s life. The world is a place filled with opportunities, love, disasters, and heart break. All at once light and dark coexist, while moments change so quickly, making it easy to become lost, or forget where you come from and what your beliefs and values are. One who has faith in their life has as ever present rock to return to, a constant place of retreat. To believe in the God who heals, forgives, and has power over all is to live beyond one’s self.

To believe is nothing greater then self is to be wrapped up in a small bubble. This small bubble is filled with self, and if something comes and hits this bubble it will pop. Unfortunately so many people today are stuck in these bubbles, floating around and popping and sinking when inevitable life changes, or devastation comes. On the contrary to believe in God and know that this life is so much more the just you, is to be free from a bubble.

In my life I have faced, challenge, and darkness, and loss. Of course much light as well, celebrations, accomplishments, and love. To ride there feels is that of a roller coaster, up, and down, twisty and fast, then slow, waiting for the drop. I all I were to know if my life was myself and my own worth, I imagine falling hard with the lows, and turns, the loss.

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The most important aspect of human life is change. All living things have been in continuous stages of change and adaptation since the beginning of time. Before change can occur though, one’s perspective must be impacted. One of the best ways to challenge one’s perspective and seek new ones is to travel. I believe that I have changed in positive ways due to my experiences traveling the world, and I know that if I want to continue to grow and improve, I can never stop traveling. When one becomes too comfortable in their day to day existence, it is essential to break the cycle. Anytime I start to feel myself slowing down into a routine, I start planning my next adventure.

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Each night I try to sit down and note a couple of things hat happened that day.  I do so in a special journal, where entries appear five times on each page allowing me to see what I did, or was thinking or feeling on that day in previous years.  I am now on the 5th year of that journal and it’s amazing to see how life changes.

About five years ago I had two miscarriages, back to back, and to date, the losses were the most substantial of my life.  I journaled while I was grieving which was some relief.  My entries detailed the despair I felt and the loneliness of going it alone.

Fast forward five years later.  I have three beautiful children. So much good has come from what I could only see as bad-  I have been able to talk to and encourage countless women about loss, grief, God, hope and love,   I know my husband better and in a different way than before, and I could go on and on.  In some ways my darkest point has become one of my brightest moments.

With all this you may think the thing I believe in most is the power or words, or journaling, or hope or love.  And I believe in all that.  But I believe that if I seek to- I will understand things better- by and by.  And I believe that every moment I experience is part of a bigger picture that I have to just wait and live its unfolding importance.

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Every so often I stop and do a self-reflection to see if I am on track with the plans and goals I have set for myself. I must admit that many times I set ambitious goals that often may take months and even years to come to fruition. Sometimes I question whether they may really be attainable or If in the process I may just give up and abandon my goals.  However, I realize that the dream of achieving success and high status, to some, does not come over night.  Through my years of experience, I have learned that it is only through hard work and perseverance that goals are met.  I believe I am my harshest critic at least that is what my loved ones tell me.

I believe in the importance of taking a step back and acting as an outsider to   last time I stopped do a self-reflection I saw how far I have come in many areas of my life.

I have had a lot of growth in my career and I still strive to push myself forward. I also realized the amount of time and thought put into the positive things I want to pour into my son. I realize that most of my waking moments are always with him in mind and ways I can better myself so I can enrich his life and give him the things I never had and more. I always strive to make myself a better mother. Not just by being present but also by looking for ways I can be someone he can be proud of.

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Losing my mother has made me stronger in my faith and drawn me closer to my God.

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 I as an educator believe in the influence that student have on the people of the world. I am inspired in their ability to adapt to the way life has been structured, before their time. Unknowingly, accepting of their family and life circumstance, that they were born into, has profoundly impacted their choices.  I am in painful understanding that this world is a tough place to live, being that I have already met some of the steps that they will take. I am almost certain that with corrected leadership, opportunity and resources. They will develop into human begins beyond the American dream.   I am a historian to the many of these situations/challenges that they have and will experience. I work intentionally to foster their development and model good character while under the pressure of this unfair, structured without consent world. I t is my duty to help them to understand, that no matter the challenge, they could live a life within themselves free. They will have choices and those choice will only determine, who they are to themselves. 

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 I as an educator believe in the influence that student have on the people of the world. I am inspired in their ability to adapt to the way life has been structured, before their time. Unknowingly, accepting of their family and life circumstance, that they were born into, has profoundly impacted their choices.  I am in painful understanding that this world is a tough place to live, being that I have already met some of the steps that they will take. I am almost certain that with corrected leadership, opportunity and resources. They will develop into human begins beyond the American dream.   I am a historian to the many of these situations/challenges that they have and will experience. I work intentionally to foster their development and model good character while under the pressure of this unfair, structured without consent world. I t is my duty to help them to understand, that no matter the challenge, they could live a life within themselves free. They will have choices and those choice will only determine, who they are to themselves. 

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I can say without irony, “I believe the Army’s slogan:  Be all that you can be. Get an edge on life in the Army.”  The whole world opened up for me when I moved to Germany at age six. That multi-lingual, multi-cultural exchange, made me the Global citizen that I am today

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In a post-apocalyptic world Philip K Dick’s book “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ has come to the big screen not once but twice. It is in the second visionary master piece “Blade Runner 2049 “where hope is lost and devastation is high with a primary focus on survival. In this film comes the quote of my year “protect your dreams”.

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In my opinion, I believe all children are the same.  I believe children are made up of matter but, are configured given the energy the universe has bestowed upon them. I recently read in an article “to be happy is to be child like”, to only be yourselves and innocently gay. Children grow and develop, along the way they are developed even more, sometimes forcefully, thus creating internal affairs or black holes they themselves cannot navigate.

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The reason I care about being Hispanic or Latino is because it is who I am and where I come from. It is whom I am around, the different types of food I eat, as well as the different kinds of music I listen to.  	This is important to me also because this defines me, it is who I am at the core and I am proud of it.  I believe it is important to really buy into/believe in your culture because every culture is different in a unique way.  No one can take that from you.  Everyone should be proud to show that to the world.  I strongly believe that someone who is not in tune with their background and doesn’t know their history or the things involved with he or she’s race, they are lost and really don’t understand the importance of where they come from and who they are. 	

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The reason I care about being Hispanic or Latino is because it is who I am and where I come from. It is whom I am around, the different types of food I eat, as well as the different kinds of music I listen to.  	This is important to me also because this defines me, it is who I am at the core and I am proud of it.  I believe it is important to really buy into/believe in your culture because every culture is different in a unique way.  No one can take that from you.  Everyone should be proud to show that to the world.  I strongly believe that someone who is not in tune with their background and doesn’t know their history or the things involved with he or she’s race, they are lost and really don’t understand the importance of where they come from and who they are. 	

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I am filled with BIG emotions when I think about the life that I have built.   When I pause and contemplate this thing I have created, it leaves me with feelings of joy, pride, sorrow, regret, trepidation, courage, and energy to recreate it again.  But, that is the wonder of life; it is fluid, it ebbs and it flows.  Life can take your breath away and it can pummel you into pulp.  I am thankful for that movement because, ironically, the fluidity keeps me young, vibrant, and challenged in an exhausting way.  “Exhausting” should not be interpreted as a negative feeling here.  That sense of victory or defeat has brought me growth and development.  It pushes self-evolution towards a stronger, more intellectual, resilient and, perhaps, more forgiving human.

What does your bucket hold?  Do you even have a bucket?  Does it remain full and weighty because you have not been able to drain it?  Or is your bucket empty because your present life is too chaotic to allow time for self-reflection of long-term goals?

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It was during the winter of 2012, the second half of my Junior year of High School, when this momentous event in my life occurred.  There was an infamous Northeastern snowmageddon storm that caused schools all around the state to remain closed for around a week’s time due to severe power outages.  During my own week off, I accompanied my mother to her job a few times and, while I was there, I made the decision to get a head start on some of my school homework assignments.  When I began to do my Foreign Language homework, for some inexplicable reason that I have yet to ponder, I felt a strong urge to study the pages of my Spanish textbook out of pure interest; and it wasn’t long until I felt myself becoming utterly absorbed in it.  I had no other technology to entertain myself with due to the power outages all over the state, therefore I spent the majority of my time the rest of that day and week learning as much Spanish vocabulary and grammar as possible.  From there, my love for linguistics began to grow.

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“She believed she could so she did”

Would you believe me if I told you about a year ago I was homeless, jobless, with ONE credit away from my B.S in health sciences? My professor was dissatisfied with my quality of work and therefore refused give me the credit for a class I was retaking. I was ready to throw in the towel and succumb to my new destiny. I had the job opportunity of a lifetime - to become an elementary school teacher and the only thing that was standing in my way was ONE CREDIT. But hey.. that’s my life and I was comfortable with disappointment. I was okay with taking no for an answer and giving up. I lost all hope.

Thankfully I have been blessed with an amazing ray of light. That ray is none other than Lacora Wood. She has been a huge influence and had such a positive impact on my life. It is because of her that I am where I am today. She helped me turn my cants into cans. She taught me to have hope and to never give up. There will always be a way and it is due to her that I found my way.

The idea of self efficacy says that if an individual truly believes in something they will be more likely to accomplish that. This quote resonates with me because for a very long time I would give up or lose hope the minute something didn’t go my way. Within this year I learned to never lose hope no matter how many times a door is shut in my face. No will never be an acceptable answer. I believe I will always find a way.

In some ways my darkest point has become my brightest moments

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When I begin thinking about what my life means to me, I am hoping that in some small way I may have been able to transfer some of who I am as a parent. I decided early on that my focus was on raising my children so that they were also aware of the importance of their role as they become parents. .......

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I believe life and death is in the power of your own tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Each day on this earth makes this verse more and more evident in my life. I have seen first-hand the fruits of my own speech.  Hi, my name is Kristin and I choose to see the glass half full at all times.

My life is deeply rooted in Christian beliefs and for no other than this reason, I know that words are very powerful. They have the power to make or break you and should be chosen very wisely. You can build yourself up or tear yourself down with words.

Because of this I choose to declare good things over my life. I declare God’s promises over my life.

I choose to stay positive regardless of the circumstance.

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How do you experience the world? What is love to you, guilt? How does this impact how you communicate and what you communicate? To answer this question the subjective experience must be explored. Qualia explores this, an easy way to define qualia is "an unfamiliar term for something that could not be more familiar to each of us: the ways things seem to us" quote from Quinning qualia by D. Dennett. I experience love as a process. I believe this world is perfectly imperfect, which is perfect. 

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How do you experience the world? What is love to you, guilt? How does this impact how you communicate and what you communicate? To answer this question the subjective experience must be explored. Qualia explores this, an easy way to define qualia is "an unfamiliar term for something that could not be more familiar to each of us: the ways things seem to us" quote from Quinning qualia by D. Dennett. I experience love as a process. I believe this world is perfectly imperfect, which is perfect. 

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Life.
The capacity to grow and experience continuous changes.
Life could be so….influential. It could be so impactful to all who observe it, yet…….sometimes not to the person living it. Experiencing its ups and downs.

I guess I believe in life itself and….that my life….is so important that it affects people everywhere.

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This relationship wasn’t always bad. In the beginning, we had so much fun. We were in the same class with big dreams and lots of things in common. We were together every day; of course, we were best friends. We’d be best friends forever. Right? Now I know this sounds like a story from when I was a little girl. Maybe 7th or 8th grade. When I still believed in “forever”. No, I was a college student, who had zero experience with relationships and navigating life with the opposite sex. In a way, I was a 12-year-old girl dealing with my first crush-- I know now that best friends between guys and girls just don’t work for me.

The first time I realized that my family gives me strength is when I went through this bad breakup. They showed me who God was in a real tangible way.  It wasn’t a clean break, it was a break up that took months to come to fruition. My family knew I was in a bad relationship but also knew that if they were candid with me, I would withdraw. I spent months crying, trying to hold on and tortured myself. I knew it wasn’t a healthy relationship, but I had always been taught “not to quit”. In this case, these words of wisdom haunted me when it was time to quit. I kept thinking if I work a little harder, and if I changed who I was, it would work out.

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The Journey of HW( in process) It was that day, I was waiting for two acceptance letters for college. One from Quinnipiac University, and one the other from Fisk University. I came home from school early that same day. It was testing time and seniors always had ways of opportunities to leave early. Plus I had a my own car, so leaving early was the best part of my day. I rushed home My mom came home and brought the mail upstairs. Both letters came that same day. I cannot remember which one I opened up first, however I do remember I was very nervous. I kept thinking to myself what if I only get into This moment was the beginning of many long days. Many had  hard working long days. Long days of stress. Long days of pressure and anxiety. Long days of no sleep and procrastination. But those long days were temporary. If only then, I could have thought like I do now, and kept some of those long days Being able to go far away and attend an HBCU all the way in Tennessee, I felt ambitious, I felt determined, and I felt nontraditional. Not many people where I came from went that far away to go to college.  I was very daring. I wanted to be that different person 

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The Journey of HW( in process) It was that day, I was waiting for two acceptance letters for college. One from Quinnipiac University, and one the other from Fisk University. I came home from school early that same day. It was testing time and seniors always had ways of opportunities to leave early. Plus I had a my own car, so leaving early was the best part of my day. I rushed home My mom came home and brought the mail upstairs. Both letters came that same day. I cannot remember which one I opened up first, however I do remember I was very nervous. I kept thinking to myself what if I only get into This moment was the beginning of many long days. Many had  hard working long days. Long days of stress. Long days of pressure and anxiety. Long days of no sleep and procrastination. But those long days were temporary. If only then, I could have thought like I do now, and kept some of those long days Being able to go far away and attend an HBCU all the way in Tennessee, I felt ambitious, I felt determined, and I felt nontraditional. Not many people where I came from went that far away to go to college.  I was very daring. I wanted to be that different person 

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If I just keep moving forward I will get there. I do not know exactly where there is, but I do know it is not where I am now. I must believe in myself that I can keep going. If only I keep moving, I WILL get there.

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How can we expect high school juniors and seniors to know what they might want to do for "the rest of their life"? We can't! And I was no exception...

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Have you ever had a feeling that you mind was physically expanding? I have.  It was palpable to me as a 9-year old to hear Kiswhahili, English, Gujarati, American, and Finnish, all at the same time, all those accents! It was mind expanding to make sense of it all as a 9-year old.

Have you ever felt excitement and loneliness all at the same time? I have. As a 9-year old, walking into Bunge Primary School in Dar-es-salaam with a few English sentences in my pocket, look at a sea of students of every hue, in blue and white, lonely for not knowing a single one, yet filled with excitement that many will be my friends, play net ball, and go to Oyster Bay, very soon.

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Moving like an ocean wave, not just happen in the ocean.  It can happen in the daily life.

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Moving like an ocean wave, not just happen in the ocean.  It can happen in the daily life.

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"Pick it up and play it," said Seth. "No, he'll pound my face in!" I said. My older brother Frank had always warned me: "Never touch my guitar!" 'Why', I thought, "You don't even know how to play." As if I would actually say this. I thought it though. The imitation stratocaster had beckoned me from across the room I shared with my brother. I had never even considered touching it--'too risky'. Now, my cousin Seth is encouraging me to play it. "He's not even home!" "I don't know how to play," I responded. "Just pick it up and do something." Against my better judgment I grabbed the guitar. 'B-L-A-M!' I was sure Seth was unimpressed. "Do that again!" he said.

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Everyday is like trying to keep my head above water.

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I often talk about and envision days in the future where me and my son are older and wiser. I think about all of the different life stages, the tears and the laughter, we have yet to experience. Who will he become? What will he believe in and fight for? What is my role and how will I support him through this life journey? Blessed be the day that we live in the future. Alongside this hopefulness of a dream lives death and skepticism.

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I often talk about and envision days in the future where me and my son are older and wiser. I think about all of the different life stages, the tears and the laughter, we have yet to experience. Who will he become? What will he believe in and fight for? What is my role and how will I support him through this life journey? Blessed be the day that we live in the future. Alongside this hopefulness of a dream lives death and skepticism.

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I was 11 years old when life became new. On December 1st 2001...

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Oh, I was so excited! Excited to meet my teachers and new friends.

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I am a mixture of two cultures. Two cultures that define me. That shaped me. That built my perception of the world around.

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Growing up in Hartford with 5 sister and 1 brother was a challenge. After 10 years my parents decided we needed a change from the Heart Beat City.

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Before my clock started it already wanted to stop. It was running late,  but the hands were in reverse.  Counting down the life it was meant to start.
Fixed and moving forward forever broken. Ever so often reverting back to rushing to the end. As it runs out the struggle to keep it would creep in. I wanted to get rid of it, but I would ask the maker again "Move it forward, grant me more time!"

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My life has been greatly shaped by the books I have read. There is a common thread in most of my favorite books - an independent, strong willed heroine who is fearlessly passionate about their beliefs.

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When I arrived to United States I didn’t know I was going to find a new career on something that I enjoy, and make me so happy! I truly believe that everything in your life, including those thought moments when you feel hopeless, happen for a good reason... to make your life better.

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A wise man once said, “Knowledge is Power.” As I reflect on my experiences as a daughter, mentor, and mostly as a teacher this resonates with me deeply. Knowledge is not only power but it is empowering. Have you ever seen a student’s face light up after a new idea has come to fruition or a new skill is acquired? That powerful feeling of joy and accomplishment resonating in their souls. Have you ever seen a student moved to action after learning about an issue that impacts them or their community? That powerful feeling of responsibility and being part of the greater good stirring them to accomplishment. Have you `ever seen a student start to realize their talents through the knowledge they’ve acquired in your classroom? That powerful feeling of self-realization and actualization giving vision to their dreams. It is a magical feeling that knowledge gives us, and I believe this is a powerful thing.

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It is here I have loved and lost.

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As a child, her mother would delightfully play music in the living room as she cleaned the house. That's where it began, Ellie's love for dance.

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On my early years in high school, I used to get a ton of those "if you can only" questions. The one I remember being asked the most was "If you can only have one kid, would it be a girl or a boy?" My answer was always the same, "A girl." 15 years and two daughters later, I guess it is true when people say "You get what you ask for."

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Being raised by my mother and grandmother, I had to learn who they were as individual women. I took the lessons they taught me and have brought them to teach my first graders and help them to grow as individuals. 

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Being raised by my mother and grandmother, I had to learn who they were as individual women. I took the lessons they taught me and have brought them to teach my first graders and help them to grow as individuals. 

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A tropical storm on my girl's birthday. 8-28-08.  At 8 am we were eating melting ice cream on my bed for breakfast, opening presents.  In the afternoon, the storm receded.  Pre-school orientation for my girl.  Three years old.  So exicted.
The doors opened to the little school and suddenly I was hit with gale force winds.  I saw them in the glowing eye of the storm, illuminated in the doorway, and I couldn't move.  The storm had hit me fast, sneakily, and so hard.  And as fast as it had come, it passed.  And left me a still puddle.

We were staying with my parents because the storm had knocked out our power, melting our ice cream.  I cried to my dad about what happened at the preschool.  My dad, who had BEEN a storm, a wave himself and still is.  But now a rolling wave rather than the raging wave of a tropical storm.  He said "then maybe just "give way".  Let them have it.  Why fight it?  If its that important to them, let them have it and let it go.

Paul Simon: The sun came out. It was a cloudy day. We thought there was going to be a thunderstorm. And it's a perfect night, in New York City. "

Our favorite album.  And with my dad's words, the sun DID come out.  It broke open the sky and simultaneously my heart.  And I was washed in the wave of relief.

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D.C I believe                           The training is complete, now it is time to put it to work.  Now is not the time for mistakes.  The mistakes, are no longer minor in size, but major, life changing in size.  The late night papers...preparation.  The relationships gone wrong...preparation.

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D.C I believe                           The training is complete, now it is time to put it to work.  Now is not the time for mistakes.  The mistakes, are no longer minor in size, but major, life changing in size.  The late night papers...preparation.  The relationships gone wrong...preparation.

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I believe it is important to have a strong work balance between work and personal hobbies.  Although a hobby could be your job, you must separate work and personal priorities.
Hobbies must be pursued in order to create and healthy long term happiness. Happiness is essential in order to be successful in other parts of your life such as family, friends, and health. breathe, believe, and love1

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Worth trying out, right?

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Mr. David Weinreb: Surviving | Sobreviviendo

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Mr. David Weinreb: Surviving | Sobreviviendo

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This is about my grandpa, his life and his death, about being a survivor, about working with survivors, and about responsibility and resilience.

Esto se trata de mi abuelo, su vida y su muerte, sobre ser un sobreviviente, sobre trabajar con sobrevivientes, y sobre la responsabilidad y la resiliencia.

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Sometimes, I pray with my feet.

As a grandson of a dead man, and a grandson of a survivor.

I have prayed to the hinges, where there once were gates, where he escaped…

his escape from hate, the Nazis’ discrimination, the impending decimation, extermination. and. But.

I stood, where he last stood, where he last saw his mother,

43 years too old, too old to run. 43.

7, 17, 1947, “Welcome to America, Berele!”

My dad would always call. and calls.

7. 7 years, I was only 7.

I only remember 7 year old hugs.

And his scent, his accent, how he called my brother Matteu,

and his lullabies, those bruised BLACK AND BLUE lullabies.

and I remember that he used to call me his Little Prince. and I was, his.

I remember, and I don’t…I can’t...I was too young.

He was not too old. But was he? Too old to run?

I remember, that I have his blood running bleeding coursing through my veins.  And I don’t.

and while I wonder

and wish

that he was still HERE -

What I know about responsibility, and resilience, are relics of what life had taught him, what he taught his son, what his son taught me. Too much, too soon.

I remember, with my work

I work with pioneers pioneros survivors sobrevivientes immigrants inmigrantes,

edificando una vida mejor para sus familias

como, mi abuelo, lo hizo, para nosotr o s

Planting semillas that one day will grow.

Praying with our pie.

Sharing palomas de la paz.

THIS is my work, THIS is our responsibility,

How do we survive? THIS is how we survive.