I’m a single woman, I’m not married, I did not have kids. I live with my mother (94 years old and still lucid!) two single sisters and two cats. I’m ok about that. So, I didn’t get my own family. Frecuently, when you don’t have a family, your friends are your family. I know my friend Luis since we are children, we lived in the same neighborhood, we went to same school, in spite of he left our country 30 years ago, he lives in Cataluña, España, still we are friends. Recently, he sent me a video to wish me happy birthday. How you can imagine we spent many moments together. We have had many good conversations, we have supported each other for many years. Luis is not the only friend who left Venezuela, for 20 years many persons have left our country looking for a better life.
I knew my friend María Luisa several years ago, she talked to me in a concert, we were hearing Carmina Burana, a piece of music we love. She is psychologist but she likes reading literature, we have shared music, but also books. And since some years ago, she also has been interested about Buddhism, I’m buddhist since 20 years ago. In spite of they have not our same blood, our friends are our chosen family. I knew Urimare in the neighborhood book club, unfortunately, in spite of we shared many saturdays talking about books and authors book club finished, but Urimare is still my friend. Many of best moments I have lived I lived with my friends.
Did you live a tragedy? I lived. If you have not lived I hope you will not live. It was december 15, 1999. It was raining since several days ago. Suddenly, it was midnight, an avalanche of water and mud swept away many houses, buildings and persons in La Guaira, near to Caracas, my city. Many persons died that day. My best friend Gloria (32 years old), her mother who was visiting her for Christmas and her little daughter Gabriela (5 years old) disappeared that night. I never saw her again.
But a miracle happened, Gloria’s youngest daughter survived, Valentina (3 years old), she was stuck in the mud and a fireman heard her singing. Her husband survived too. I don’t remember his name. Several days I was watching tv, because many persons survived, I had the hope that my friend had survived, her mother or her daughter Gabriela, but I never saw them again. It was the most terrible thing I have lived. Pain is still in my heart. My friend Luis introduced her to me. They studied together. She was a very nice person, good friend, good wife, good mother. I realized how fragile life is.
my friend Gloria and me
Patience
Patience is a virtue, an extraordinary virtue I don’t have, you know. My friend Gloria had it. Sometimes, when her daughters did something it was not correct, she was not angry, she explained them why they was doing was not correct. I was surprised because usually moms are not so quiet when their kids do something wrong. She was a psychologist, but sometimes psichologists become angry too. I have worked for years to be patience, I practice meditation and still I don’t be a patient person.
Thanks for reading me.
All photos you see belongs to my personal photo album
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