Welcome to the 40 day writing challenge!!!!!!!!! Everyday we will be writing together. Reflecting. Exploring. Hiking some pretty treacherous trails. But you can do this! We can do this! We will do this TOGETHER. See you tomorrow in Nepal!
Day 1: Goodbye dinner and Reflection / What I will take with me ~
Good morning day. Last night was the most amazing gathering. All who love me were in attendance. A few people read poetry, Tamara sang a beautiful song, and people told stories. The new house was filled with love, and music and yummy foods. My mother made all my favorites, there was pernil, eggplant, arroz con guandules and lasagna. And papi brought Johnny and Presidente. I was so excited to see the beautiful Lalita walk into the space. She gave me the most magnificent journals and tribal music to listen to and encouraged me to spend a lot of time praying and meditating… one for giving thanks and the other to really listen for the answers to the questions that have been tormenting me. She reminded me to smile often!
My parents hugged me and joked about how crazy I was to take on this journey, “Only white people do crazy shit like this!!!” We all laughed… Papi whispered in my ear… “tu tienes unos cojones mi hija!” That I have huge balls!!! I just smiled and responded… no pa, tengo unos OVARIOOOSSSSS … My brother Fabio joked about how I was never gonna make it, saying, “I give you one week and you will be back with us!” My sisters Josie and Fabiana gave me all kinds of messages like, “Fuck Fabio, show him how we do this!” They filled me with messages of love and faith and belief in ME! How proud they always are of me… How this is a great adventure! And how I conquer everything I tackle! They are my biggest cheerleaders.
Emma, the worrier, cried as she hugged me telling me to be careful and not fall off a cliff, “cause I’ll kill you if you die girl!” LMAO!!! Kelly was there with James and the boys… and she never really has to say much, because the way she looks at me says everything… a woman of few words but when she does speak I listen… she just held me and sometimes that’s just exactly what I need… to know that I AM HELD up is everything. Patricia, my prayer warrior and sister was there… she led us all in prayer about this journey and promised to pray for me every day… and I believe her. I LOVE HER! Rock told me to go fuck myself!!! He loves me! Of course he told me to take in EVERYFUCKINGBIT OFIT. Yoseli told me how much she would miss me and how proud she was of me and to bring her back something beautiful from my journey. If I could bring her a mountain I would!
The women from my writers tribe, the NYC Latina Writers Group were all present old and new, and they each gave me a hand written letter that was glued to the pages of a beautiful journal with photos that they wanted me to only read when I was away with messages as reminders of who I am and what I mean to them.
And last but not least… I saved the best hug for last… my final moments with my beautiful, brilliant, and beloved daughter Courtney… well she just reminded me of who I am, how in awe of me she is and how proud she is to be my daughter, my partner… she told me she is proud of everything I have achieved and all that I do to reinvent… start over… transform… be better… give more… and then she just held me… as she cried… tears that told me she would miss me… but tears that felt like kisses… like gentle hugging of my cheeks… and now I am off… I will miss them all. I am so grateful for my family and friends. I love them so much! Now I can go!!!
How amazing that I get to begin this journey on my beloved mothers birthday. Happy Birthday madre Bella. I love you.
What I will take with me:
1) Flashlight
2) Lighter
3) Journals/pens
4) Walking boots / comfy warm sock (6pairs)
5) Sleeping bag
6) Camera
7) Skittles/starburst
8) Ellegua/ogun
9) Warm thermal blanket
10) Clothes – pack light
11) Rope
12) Rain gear
13) Water bottle
14) Pictures of my people
Please post your journey in my comments on my blog for each day and let’s begin. I am so excited to have you join us.
Everything else is provided. And we are off! I am off to the airport… and so it is. Aché!
Comments