Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Hug them tight

I've been meaning to post pictures of the boys here forever but I don't know what is wrong with me and the holiday season... at least under my roof time completely flies!! I feel like I run around all day like a chicken without a head and still don't get a great sense of accomplishment at the end of my busy day. But I'll go back to these last couple of days on a future post.

Today I really wanted to let my heart speak out loud of all that I have been feeling this past week. To make it even more emotional, I just got home after a quick stop at my local grocery store and was helped by a nice man, Jean, that besides holding a low paying job and living a modest life, had more to teach me than anyone I have ever met before.

Jean, probably in his 60's, had his head down and was concentrated bagging all my groceries when I asked him if he was from Haiti. He looked up, concurred and proceeded to tell me that he had just lost most of his family members at the earthquake in Haiti, including his son - a young aspiring lawyer that certainly made his dad so proud. I wish I had had the guts to follow my instincts to give him a tight hug, cry with him and bring him home with me. As a parent, I can't even imagine what it is to loose a child on any circumstances, even worse when you are so far away and really cannot get to your loved ones one way or another. I would think I wouldn't even have the energy to get off bed, and work would be the last thing on my mind, especially when that entails seeing person after person filling their carts with groceries when your people have nothing to eat - or no one to feed.

Please take a moment to think of what really matters in your life, and start appreciating them this right moment (yes, them, because I'm sure what you just thought about was a loved one and not your car, or house, or anything else you can put a price on). On my inexperienced life and almost naive comment, I told Jean I hope all the money that is being donated to his country falls in the right hands and helps his country to be rebuilt. "But what is money Mariana when you just lost a life?".

Jean, you are absolutely right. I'm off to hug my kids and my husband tight and tell them how much I love them.