A new love

Today is a special day, since I'm celebrating the life of that being that came into my life filling me with happiness. Back then I asked myself how my life was going to be. Everything changed in a second, I wasn't that independent woman anymore.

I imagined how she was going to look like, her hair, her eyes, her skin, her voice, her personality. I thought of the uncertain future that was awaiting me.

From the first second of life she needed me, to breath, to feel, to live. All of my feelings I was sharing them with someone who I did not know yet, I was talking to somebody who didn't know my language.

I discovered a new way love, a love that's spontaneous, pure, a love that's different. I understood for the first time that maternal love I never had. I started to feel God nearer me, I felt Him inside me, with every heartbeat, with every movement. I thought of how perfect nature can be that is capable of producing everything it needs; I'm certain now of the existence of that Immense Entity that gave me the greatness of life and bringing life.

I thought then what would happen to me, to my body, to my way of thinking, to my point of view, what would happen to my way of understanding things, of my way of loving. Little by little I've been finding the answers, now I see through a different point of view, I'm more rational, more mature, more Woman.

I think of how unbelievable is that metamorphosis, how a simple cell turned into some body so important, a being that got formed from every part of me, of what I am. I stared at her perfection, a being so vulnerable that still depended on me.

I still remember her heartbeat, so strong, so fast, her tiny eyes that seemed asleep all the time, her tiny and fragile arms embracing her body, her little fingers that could barely hold mine. She seemed to understand my feelings, when I smiled, when I cried, when I was angry. Many times I asked myself if she could hear, if she could feel me.

Doubts and fear came to my life, but I was never alone. She was with me everywhere I went, even in my dreams. Then I was anxious for her arrival to her new world, that moment when we touched for the first time, when we saw each other the first time, that moment so important when I held her in my arms. I was filled with so much love that I forgot about my weariness. I wanted to stare at her all day, when she was breathing, when she was sleeping, when she woke up and looked at me as if trying to tell me something, that something that only I could understand.

My life is now one filled with emotions, when she smiled for the first time, when she made her first expresion, when she said "Mom" the first time I didn't know if to cry or laugh, when I opened my eyes again she was already walking, she had now complete personality. Each day I realized how valuable is time.

I thank God for giving me the privilege of bringing life filling me at the same time with more life, for giving me the opportunity of loving without limits.

I thank God each second for the life of my daughter, for giving me the chance of watching her grow up and live.

I thank Him for giving me the joy of being a Mother.

By Sandra Falcon

Why are we the way we are?

After picking up my daughter...

While driving in my car to my house I see the vagabond asking for money , a young guy, as young as the one who just graduated from high school, with his bare feet, the clothes pretty dirty he looks at me and waves his paper cup, I say No. Then I look forward and I see this car crossing the red traffic light, and then I think: "this people just don't love themselves!" I keep on going, I stop at the next red light and at my right I see this kid jumping in the front seat of the car.

Getting almost home, a group of teenagers leaning in their cars stare at me as if they've never seen a woman in their short life. Finally I get home and the windows vibrate at the astounding rhythm of the neighbor's music.

I turn on the TV and all I see is violence, sex, unfaithfulness.

After dinner I wash the dishes, bathe my daughter and send her to sleep, my day ends.

It's already dawn, on my way to work I see the newspaper salesman, standing up the whole day under the sun, sometimes under the rain, to earn just a "few bucks". Nobody wants to let me pass, cars driving in opposite direction to avoid traffic jam, not one police man at the sight. Finally I get to work: "good morning", "hi", "how are you?". I get to my desk, in the newspaper: "A total of 6 car accidents taking the lives of 11 people in just one day", "A man commits suicide after killing his wife and her lover", "A boy was found dead with multiple bruises on his body", concert of famous artist, "Fraud in well-known company", "$10,000 on drugs confiscated by police"...etc, etc.

In the office, that woman at the phone smiles, is she in love? The other one is reading the newspaper and speaking out loud, who is he talking to? Other employee is working as if he had to finish the work of two days in two hours. The day goes on, people are talking in a low voice so nobody can hear, I see sad and serious faces and others seem to be always happy. People drinking coffee to release the stress, the other is complaining because the paper got jammed in the photocopier. At the end of the day a huge mass of employees are waiting at the exit ready to go, outside at the parking lot everybody start their cars and go as if somebody was going to pay the first one to get home.

And again, at the road the vagabond asking for money, the one that crosses on a red light.

In what world are we living!?

You hear that person telling his child he loves him and hugs him, and when he gets into the car accelerates without thinking he has a child at the back seat. Some people tell you not to smoke because it's harmful, and at the end of the week they go and poison their bodies with alcohol. Others tell you to organize your life and their houses are a mess, how many women say that don't have money to pay their phone bill but visit every month the beauty salon to get their hair and nails done. People say that they can barely support a living but technically live at the mall. Many people tell you to live your life day by day; others tell you to keep present your future.

A kid can barely walk because he's overweight, exhausted hurries to go sit down, hm! And then his mother says that her kid is just big, and then you hear her talking in shock about child abuse.

We are so into our every-day routine that we take for granted what happens in our surroundings, criminality, abuse, prejudice, evil. Why do we insist on keeping this kind of lifestyle? Why not to wake up every morning and think: "Today I'm going to try to do things the right way, to be a good human being, better than yesterday". How many people live their lives focusing only in their material ambitions and forget to live the present time, when they realize how much time they've lost is too late.

Why not driving with courtesy without hurries, after all, it could cost us our life. Get to work and mind our own business not every body else's, without envy, hard feelings, live our own lives. And then dedicate quality time at home, with our family. Teach our children real values, to not to be afraid to be weak, not to be proud for being strong, to laugh if he wants to, to cry if he feels like it, not to be embarrassed of expressing his feelings, to earn the things before receiving them, to fight for it, don't give him everything. Why not better stay quiet when bad critics come to your mind.

How many times we complain about the life we have? In such a hurry, because the phone won't stop ringing at the office, because it starts to rain when you're about to go out, because you got to rush to pick up the kids, because "look at the time I haven't eaten yet".

How many times we thank God? Because we have a car to go places, because we have a roof to protect us from sun and bad weather, because we can eat every day even when we're not hungry. Because we have good health and are able to go to work. Because we've got a variety of fun stuff to do to not get bored.

How many times we thank God for life itself?

And yet I still ask myself...

Why are we the way we are?

By Sandra Falcon

Be Happy


Life is so precious you can't sit down and wait for things to come to you, especially happiness, happiness is what keeps your life meaningful and worthy. Days come and go and are filled with challenges and obstacles, but you have to keep on walking no matter how narrow or hard the road may be.

As life goes on you'll find it more and more complicated, more difficult, but that's how is supposed to be, it's your mission to go through it and fight and don't give up, just don't let negative thoughts affect your life, nobody knows what the future holds until they get there, live everyday in the present, do what your heart feels and go with your instincts remembering always to keep your feet on the ground, grab on to your feelings and let Him guide your way.

Life is full of risks and this is something you have to deal with everyday, even on the simplest situation. Don't let these risks stop you from being happy and successful, at the end they make your conquer more valuable.

People around you that care about you will try to protect you and give you advice, listen to them but also listen to your heart, you are the only person responsible for your own happiness, nobody else but you know better what makes you happy. Your life is full of experiences, good and no-so-good relationships, but these experiences make you grow as a person. Maybe you'll find that what was making you happy at the end is not the right thing for you. But what if it is? You'll never know if you don't try.

You can't stop your life and keep wondering what it could be for not knowing what is going to happen tomorrow, life is too beautiful to let it slip away from your hands so easily.

You have your dreams that keep alive your reason to keep trying, go for them.
When it comes to make happy other people, you have to make yourself happy first.

Pray and ask Him to let you see the way, He knows what is right for you, just trust in Him and let happen what is meant to be.

I believe that in life everything happens for a reason and we may never know why. Happiness is everything, you may have money and security all you've ever wanted, but if you're not happy, you're not going to enjoy what you've got.

Remember that people and things don't just happen by coincidence; they have a purpose in your life, treasure them and make your life the best of it.

And the most important of all things:

BE HAPPY

Sandra

Dedicated to my friend and Sis' in Law, Sharon