Thursday, August 21, 2008

Beauty. Pure.

Not everything is as it seems and many things will not reveal their true selves to you until it is the perfect moment. Language doesn't hold water to souls and alcohol can be bought anywhere! I have learned lessons, seen beauty and challenge, touched new things, smelled new things, tasted new things, seen new things and heard a language in a whole new light. This is our fourth full day and I am already a resident. These moments are so epic for me because I expected to crumble but I am still solid. I'm basking in surprise and pride. The ocean is blue. The architecture is unique. The people are full the food is filling. The United States has yet to impress me but this is where I come from. The first day and many minutes throughout the past four days, I have tried to distance myself from women in my group and the title of "American". Now, I have been trying to challenge myself to chill out. To listen, to feel. To acknowledge that we can not run from our center, our home. We can only look more closely and expand.

I am also reading the Alchemist which is of course PERFECT. Humans are so raw and afraid. I love it. I'm glad for my existence and those of the women who will become bare to one another and enjoy the raw depth throughout the next four months.

I am feeling most prideful in my ability to hold my family and loved ones closer to me than ever before without the same waste of time in being sad but in rejoice-sing for their presence within me and our extended connection. I am not day dreaming of walks at the Berkeley marina or of the a left behind love. I am not wishing I was on Shattuck or crossing the Bay Bridge. I am here. In Cuba. Vedado. ANAP. With this family, with these plants, with this water.

Tomorrow we leave for Trindad, Cuba, Santa Clara Cienfuegos!

Love.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love how much has happened in 4 days! it will be so amazing to watch it continue to unfold and reveal itself around you-after 6 months in the south of france- i was algerian and no longer american..,sending you love and kindness and joy xoxo jilie

wrenagade said...

I love this! wow I'm so happy that you are doing this, can't wait to hear more stories, is your Spanish exponentially increasing? whats most different about Cuban Spanish, whats your favorite food? whats your everyday day life over there? from the time you wake up till the time you go to sleep a day in the life. Love!

Betsy Levenson said...

Alas, I am the concerned parent. Although you are my child as a sometime keeper of my child, I fear that you are not safe with hurricane winds swirling around you?
Do tell....

Love, Betsy