There all is light (extra credit)

You have always asked yourself about my special place to go or to be. This is a question that everyone has always kept in mind. Something we dreamed or wished to have. In my case I have always thought about “my place of light”.

I have pictured as a place we you don’t need anything to live. This means it is so complete that nothing is necessary. I’m talking about material things that sometimes we think are very important to achieve.

But as time goes by we found out that these things are not are important as the spiritual status. In this light place you are not able to cry, you can only do it because of happiness and love. As I said before everything is light. And it is so peaceful. Everyone is happy every single moment! Nobody is fear or is in pain. Everything is so different. I think everyone has always wished for a place like this.

As I also pictured this place you don’t get hurt. No one gets hurt because everyone respects and supports their own space. I consider this place as a beautiful and unique opportunity to live eternally.

I know that here there will be not alone. I wish to be here so I know for certain that my uncle Byron is there waiting for all of us to be together for eternity. I think that every human so searching for a place like this.

As mortal we sometimes do not accept that life goes on and these is a time to live and a time to die. We have to be sure and accept that we have to do all the good we can so we can deserve to win a place in heaven and get rewarded for what we did in earth.

Along our path, we are going to find a lot of beautiful and ugly situation that will help us to evolved, grow, and learn from our mistakes. There are a lot of spiritual qualities that we have to handle. Such as to be humble, honest, to be just, and to appreciate what god has given us. To share with people around us for good or bad, but to help each other when needed to support and to serve whoever needs to. I think that as you grow older you get better pictures of how to project in your community.

As students we helps to impound and to set an example, that all you do is for others to be better. Also one thing that I consider very important is to work and set an example In my church. Some people have then own priorities. I’m my family god is our number one. So, as I have dreamed for this special place to reached someday. I have to be first devoted here in earth and then to live eternally happy at the end of days. One thing I would like to share is what my father has taught us, about our beliefs.

Fist we have respect and settle our Lord as our priority. To follow what has been written in the bible and also to obey the commands and to honor our parents. As a religious man, my father has set an example for all my family, including relatives and friends. My father is teaching us to continue the Lords work to unite everyone as a church, and as a family, for future generations. Remember that the time that we spend in earth is not the same that we will spend in a near future. So next time dreamed big think about this special place to go. You will not regret to do it.

                                                                                                  with love

                                                                                                              Maury

First impressions count (extra credit)

Well, as a first impression it was a surprise for me to know that I have a new cousin. My mom told me last year about my cousin Isabel. She lives in Canada. Isabel is 17 years old that means she is also a teenager as me. So I thought it would be so nice to meet her and to know a little about her. I told my mother that it would be a good thing to know about her before I could see her by the time she was supposed to arrive to Guatemala.

My mom told a little because her cousin who had gone to Canada when she was 5 years old, she had lost contact with her. So in Canada she got married and had a new family. They are two sisters, Isabel and mariandre. My parents invited them to come to our house, the next time they were coming to Guatemala. So, when we went to the airport to pick them up my sister and brother and I were very shy and intrigue.

Because we didn’t know how to speak to them, whether in English or Spanish. Also we didn’t know how they were going to talk to us and react. When I saw them, we found out that they were a lot like my mother’s family. For example they are in physical clear skin, blue eyes, standard size, thin good looking. But especially the way they are. They are outstanding, with personality, they like to talk, laugh, and friendly and like to share and know people and different places.

When they arrived home my mom asked them what type of food they preferred. So, we found out, that they had almost the same customs, and regarding to food their mother taught them to eat the same food as we do. We started to talked and shared information about each other. Such as: what languages do they speak as: French, English, Spanish and Rumanian. In our case we only speak Spanish and English. We started to see that we had so many things in common, not only as relations but in things that we, as teenagers like.

Another thing that is was special for our family is that knowing them we had the chance to shared thing about my favorite uncle, Byron who has just passed about four months ago. He was a very special, lovely uncle, my mother’s little brother. So you can imagine it was very sad and tragic for all of us to lose him. Our new cousins had shared a lot with him every time they came to Guatemala. So for us, it was doubling priceless, because we loved listening to them about all the things they shared, laughed and enjoyed with him. So we almost could see him by doing all of these. Even though it was the first time we met, we felt like we knew each other longer. So we felt comfortable and happy to enjoyed their company.

Then a few days later our parents decided to make a trip to the countryside, “Amatillo” , to visit our grandparents. This turned to be a great idea because they got very excited and happy for. Their arrived we stayed there for two long weeks. Every year at “Amatillo” they celebrate a fair. in the fair we attended race horses, it is called  “A Jaripeo”, here men ride on horses, bulls and they complete for prices. We also enjoyed special food that they cooked during this event.

There was also a parade with horses, cattle and they elected a Queen of the fair. Sometimes at the end of the fair is a dancing party to celebrate it or to close the activities about it. We had a wonderful experience and joyful days, sharing with days, sharing with all our family and our new cousins. We do it every time they come to visit us I am so happy to have a family.

with love Maury.

Changing places

As follows I want to share something that is still so vivid in my heart and mind. About four years ago my father and mother decided to move from Guatemala my hometown in those days; to Chiquimula. We said “what”! Are you out of your mind? Why? We all got very confuse. One of the reasons why they decided was: that the situation was very violent and my parents were scared about our personal security.

When I look back some of the feelings and thoughts come to my mind I wished this couldn’t happened again because is so sad, when you fell like someone or something strange invades your privacy and peace of mind.

This type of situation is no new for many Guatemalans that lived it every single day. As we approached the due date, all those previous days we were supposed to get ready as fast as possible. Many things crossed my mind: “what I’m going to do? “Where are we going to stay”? What about my friends, my school and all the daily chores and activities I did at home.

I remembered I was so scared that I was going to leave behind a lot of things that meant a lot to me. My luggage was big but not big enough for everything I wanted to carry with me. So I had to make extreme decisions about what I was taking and what to left. I started to looked at my closet and knew that I had to get prepared with summer clothing, but then I realized that Chiquimula is hotter that Guatemala so I had to know what to get. I also notice that I had to afford another type of shoes which means relaxed and comfortable.

One of the most awful things that I had to do was to leave all toys and favorite dolls behind Lwas very sad at the end my parents and brother and sisters we all had to confront the same feelings; so that means that showing together this situation did make it easy because at the end we knew that it was for our best.

Nobody at school knew about what was happening so I didn’t finish my school year I couldn’t tell anyone about our situation and my parent’s decision. First our father approached us and he wanted to know how we felt about what to do. As every family that is very closed and we are supposed to support and love more each other during these types of events. My mother also came to us and as a family realized that e had to do it for our own sake. And she told us that we were going to try for a year and see how things will develop.

The day came as quickly as it can be. So we packed our thing and moved to beautiful Chiquimula. Chiquimula is a place located around 165 km from our capital Guatemala. It is also known in our traditions as the “orient Pearl”. It is a small and very unique and traditional town.

Is like those places where everybody knows each other and everyone is concern about each other life. So for us all of these were new because we had never shared too much with other people. I think that is because I and my family are very private about ourselves. Our new home was not finished to be built. There were no doors and the air conditioner in every room were not working so imagine,”no doors, no curtains, no air condition it was hell remember I told you it was very hot.

We also arrived one day before our new school was supposed to start. So I arrived to my new school and started to face reality everything was new especially my new friends and teachers. These were my main goals to feel and appeal comfortable, happy and not to feel homesick. Now I realized when I think about it that every single day in our life is a challenge and we live in an era of changes have to face them, fight for them and live in harmony together with our love ones for good or bad. As long as we remained together we can accomplished everything.

With love

maury

Play With My Memories

When I was 5 years old, something very important in life, set a print! I was my first day of school!

I felt so excited and I can still feel the smell of my new books, and notebooks.

The night before I couldn’t keep my eyes close, because I was very anxious to go school next day. And also nervous and a little fightened, because everything was going to be new for me. Another thing that came to my mind was asking myself, who or how many teachers I was going to met.

If they were going to be nice persons, or mean persons. That was one of the concerns that we all asked ourselves at some points or situation in our life.

I remembered in particular the place it was like a garden next to the gym and they called this place”Hetzemani”  which means “ the garden of Jesus”  the only us kids boy and girls of 5 years old attended.

I also recalled that each of our different classes there were entertained stuff. Also swains where there was also a little house where we played “family” and dolls. This was a very unique and wonderful time, when I looked back and I shared all these moments. Sometimes I wish I could do it again.

We also celebrated birthdays and had “piñatas “. This is a tradition in some countries when they celebrate birthdays. A piñata is a made of colors paper and inside it they put depending candies, money and surprises.

But the worst thing I remember is when it was your turn to brake or hit the piñata L they used to cover your eyes with a handkerchief make you go around..and their placed you in front of the piñata . the funny thing, was that because you couldn’t see, you were wondering around chasing the piñata and taking care of yourself. When turn passed at end all candies would spread all around in the grass and you had to fight to get your own candies.

Another activity I remembered was to play “market”. This was so wonderful because we brought mangos and tomatoes; our teacher told us how to placed them and started to seal them. We were so small that   this was great responsibility so we were afraid to make a mistake and started to cry. Then my mother, Maura, came to picked us up and I still have pictures taken from that day.

Miss Ursula was a teacher I will never forget. She  was very special and a firefighter girl she made a crown for each of us. Every time we did something good or accomplished something outstanding, she laced as a reward a little star and put it on our crown. These stars were very meaningful. Because each one represent like a gift from god for being good boys and girls.

Because she was a firefighter girl, one day she took us as a trip field to visit the fire station where she was working and assigned. We arrived, and miss Ursula showed us her main activities, explained then to us and the most exciting moment was when we saw the fire truck afterwards, she also told us a story about a lady haunting the fire station and this lady liked to slept on her bed.

At the end of the visit we had the chance to use the pole or the stick they used to slide when an emergency is supposed to be covered.  They also gave us as a present a firefighter hat, and also were able to watch how they attended a patient in the emergency site, because he was hurt.

Since I remember I had the same friends but specially my group they were Sofia, Julia, and Daniela. There was a singing group called “miss tanny”. They used to dressed as animals and would never forget they wore gloves in their hands when then performed.

They used to sang Christian songs and the rhythms they used were very happy and called for the attention of all of us. We were very lucky, me and my group of friends were invited by miss Ursula to celebrate his nephews’ birthday and liked to sing the  song called “piglet doesn’t like to take a shower” it was nice and funny.

I still remembered the lyrics and go back remembering these moments. I wished they could happen again. I wanted to share these moments with all of you, to tell you that I had such a wonderful childhood in this period of my life. I wish all of you could have the same memories that made your childhood as happy and unique as mine. Open your hearts and your mind to bring them back and thank our lord for giving us this opportunity to be happy.

With love

Maury.

 

AN IMPORTANT PERSON!!

When I was a little girl, a round 5 years old, I had the opportunity to meet a very special friend. Her name is Daniela and we spent so many wonderful adventures that up to date, come to my mind as a sweet reminders of our childhood.

Daniela was my schoolmate since kinder garden up to 6^th grade. At school we shared also with boys but in the next two years we also started a new friendship with Sofia and Julia. As I looked back, I remembered a particular time when we decided to have a pajama party at my house.

We were so excited, that all the things we wanted to do, got short and realized that we were going to enjoyed it the best possible I started calling on the phone to all of them and at home I also prepared my bedroom and other places in my house getting ready for the event.

Fist I went shopping with my oldest brother Elio, with who, I have a wonderful relationship brother –sister. He helped me to prepared games, and also gave me some weird ideas to do. As time arrived all my friends and I got in the mood. One of the games that Elio taught me was to play “clues and founds” . It is a funny game because at the end, after following the clues you got rewarded with nice stuff then we try to play twister but we couldn’t find it. So, we created our own twister.

First, we cut pieces of paper and painted then and then wrote our names and placed then on top of a rug.

Because my brother Elio is so smart, he built the roulette of his own design. We all started to play and had a blast and also at the end, we had a surprise.  Then we improvised a new game, we were pack-jumping laughing a making a lot of noise.

After a while we had a brake at had dinner. We had our favorite’s pizza and ice cream. After a while all boys went their way part and only us, girls stood. We decided to have a truth or dare game this is a very unique game that all we girls like to play. Because, we opened our hearts, be honest, confident and shared things that we never thought we could talked about it. I recalled Daniela as an outgoing person, she was very sincere and sentimental, and the environment became very comfortable and friendly.

I, Maury I felt confident. So this, helped me to opened my heart, thoughts to my friends about what we were sharing. At that time most of us are starting to felt in love so, we were happy, shy, we were laughing and sometimes tears appeared in our eyes, because of some dreams that we assumed wont or will come true.

When I remembered all these things that we shared that might a lot of wonderful memories and feelings come to me. I sometimes would liked to go back and lived that might as vivid as I have it in my heart and memory. I have only seen in these past years Daniela, and every time we get together we still remembered that day it was our wonderful day.

A lot of nostalgia comes to us and we always said, we are doing it again I wonder this will come true. I would like all people I know to tell them and shared with them, that this kind of activities are very good, you have fun, enjoyed, laughed, cried shared and you become a winner, because you learned and enriched from other people, when you learned that sometimes you don’t have to judge someone just for only the way they looked, but you know them for the way they are inside their hearts.

As I said I will always keep this in my heart and also it showed me that friendship is a beauty treasure that we have to take care of. To all my friends and people I love, please enjoyed every single time that God is giving you. Take care of people who need to find a light to thank God for all wonders he has given us in the wonderful world. Try to achieved, reached happiness throughout your work to help the ones who needed it and every single day that you wake up thank God for the new day and live it as it was your last.

 With love,

Maury