2010 – It Was A Very Good Year

This year has been bitter-sweet for me.  First, I thank God for all His generous blessings; He has been very good in allowing me to experience this year.  2010 brought me many tears and much happiness; all at the same time.  I experienced a painful divorce which was totally unexpected; while still grieving the death of my mother.

When I found myself alone in my apartment, I didn’t know what to do; I felt lost and sad and couldn’t think about anything other than the deep pain in my heart.  It took me many months to start unpacking the boxes which covered my living room; I just didn’t have any desire to deal with it.  I didn’t care that my house was in shambles; I didn’t eat or sleep well.  I would awake in the middle of the night and angrily speak to my ex-husband – yelling at him all the hurt that was in my heart.

I cried every day at work and at home at night.  All alone, I didn’t know what I would do, how I would do it, or if it was worth doing it.  I didn’t care whether I lived or died. I told God that He could take me with Him whenever He wanted – I felt at peace.  It was a terrible time for me. I was plunged to the depths of despair and sorrow but I clung to faith and dumped all my sorrow on Jesus and He worked miracles in my life.  He extended His hand, I grabbed it with all my might, and He lifted me up little by little. 

I was shown what real friendship looks like in new friends I made and in old friends who stood with me through it all.  I was also shown what real friendship doesn’t look like; people who I thought were my friends never contacted me to offer their sympathy for the demise of my marriage.  These were people who I thought were my friends, but truly weren’t. 

I have experienced friendships with people who have encouraged me to continue living my life, who have opened my eyes to my true worth, who gave back to me my womanhood, who encouraged me to continue improving myself professionally and spiritually.  The most important lesson I have learned has been – that I know who I am; I am setting my own rules, I know what I want and don’t want, and I am more assertive in what I want for my life.

I learned that I can take care of myself, even though I am scared at having to take care of myself all by myself, I feel God’s presence always.  He has shown me that my greatest fears can be conquered when I trust in Him and hand over my life to Him.

I have maintained my dignity through it all, even through the toughest times.  I learned how to shake off my sorrow and enjoy myself.  I love all the people who have touched my life this year, I thank God for my family who has been so supportive of me and have understood me well enough to give me my space and let me grieve in my own way.  I am still grieving the death of my mother and I have retreated to my home to be alone with my thoughts and feelings.  I hope that my family and friends understand that I need to do this, it is healthy for me to do this, it is necessary for me to do this; this is my best therapy right now.

I thank God that I will be going on a New Year’s cruise with my best friend Giny.  It will be the first true vacation I have taken this year; I am excited about starting my vacation.  I want to leave behind all the painful memories of this year and look forward to the unexpected experiences of the New Year. 

I thank God for all my wonderful friends who have made this year unforgettable and a wild ride of emotions.  I have made so many new friends through Facebook, friends from California, New York, New Jersey, Italy, Australia, India, Nigeria, and Miami.  Thank you.   You have all enriched my life and I am a better person for having known all of you.  Thanks to one of my Facebook friends, I started a blog of my own, where I can write my thoughts – as a diary and I can use it to teach others about my faith and political views.  My greatest desire is that I have made a positive impact on at least one of you.

I pray for each and every one of you.   May God pour His sweetest blessings over all of you today and this coming year. 

I wish all of you the happiest New Year filled with good health, love, joy, and prosperity.  Love you all…

Sincerely, Laura

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Che, un asesino disfrazado

Estimado Sr. Director:

Son muchas las versiones que existen sobre la vida de Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

Por ejemplo, en Cuba lo han mostrado siempre como el modelo a seguir por las nuevas generaciones, el guerrillero heroico, el defensor de los pobres, etc. Pero como todas las monedas tienes dos caras; la verdadera la han tratado de mantener oculta durante todos estos años.

Los estudiantes en la isla son adoctrinados desde muy temprana edad y forzados a ponerse la mano en la frente para gritar al unísono: “Pioneros por el comunismo, seremos como el Che”.

Sin embargo, la inmensa mayoría de estos inocentes alumnos no saben realmente quién fue en vida este criminal.

A principios de la revolución castrista cuatro mil rebeldes se alzaron en las montañas del Escambray por estar en desacuerdo con las ideas comunistas de Fidel. Tres mil de ellos fueron vilmente fusilados por órdenes del militar argentino. El resto terminó en prisión o tuvo que abandonar su tierra natal.

Hoy en día muchas personas en el mundo usan pulóveres con una foto del Che en el pecho, pero muy pocos saben las atrocidades que cometió este individuo sin escrúpulos.

El ex campeón mundial de boxeo Mike Tyson lleva tatuado en su tórax la imagen de Ernesto Guevara, aunque seguramente ni sabe quién era este señor.

Unos lo hacen por estar en la moda, otros por imitación, lo cierto es que la desinformación es tal que los ha llevado a ser admiradores de un hombre que era todo lo contrario a cómo ellos se lo han imaginado siempre. Es una verdadera pena que estén tan confundidos y manipulados por mentes maliciosas.

Según un viejo dicho: “Una mentira repetida muchas veces llega el momento que se convierte en una verdad”. El Che no fue otra cosa que un asesino disfrazado de guerrillero. Por mucho que han querido tapiñar sus crímenes, la verdad siempre sale a la luz.

Las fotos, videos y testimonios de los familiares de sus víctimas que recorren las redes cibernéticas son pruebas fehacientes de los horrendos actos de crueldad que cometió este trotamundos.

No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver, y el que todavía se deje engañar es porque quiere. Las pruebas están ahí. Los únicos que están justificados a tener información errónea son los cubanos de la isla. Ellos han sido mal informados por los hermanos Castro por más de medio siglo.

Juan Carlos León

Miami, FL

http://bitacoraparticipativa.blogspot.com/

¿Castigar a los más ricos?

Estimado Sr. Director:

La Casa Blanca decidió extender los recortes impositivos por dos años más. Con esta medida no solo se beneficiará la clase media norteamericana, sino también aquellos que ganan por encima de 250 mil dólares anuales. El presidente Barack Obama ha sido criticado por el ala más liberal del Partido Demócrata, la cual acusa al mandatario de haber cedido a las demandas de los republicanos.

Desde su campaña presidencial en el 2008 Obama le prometió al pueblo estadounidense que les subiría los impuestos a los más ricos, pero hay quienes creen que esto no sería una buena idea, ya que precisamente los más pudientes son los que crean los empleos que tanta falta nos hacen hoy. Con un 9.8 de desempleo en nuestra nación no podemos darnos el lujo de que los dueños de negocios dejen en la calle a sus obreros porque el gobierno le sube sus taxes.

Estados Unidos es el país de las oportunidades y bajo ningún concepto debemos permitir que se tronche la iniciativa propia. Es cierto que hay mucha corrupción y que muchos se enriquecen robando, pero otros han logrado el sueño americano trabajando duro de día y de noche, mientras los menos emprendedores perdieron su tiempo miserablemente criticando a los que se rompían el lomo y multiplicaban sus fortunas.

Otra de las cosas que prometió Obama para conquistar el voto de los pobres y la clase baja fue que le quitaría a los más acaudalados para dárselo a los que no tenían nada. Eso también lo hicieron Fidel Castro y Hugo Chávez y miren los resultados en esos dos países. Los pobres siguen siendo pobres y los ricos se llevaron sus riquezas para otra parte o se la cogieron esos dos ladrones. No dejemos que el socialismo se apodere del país más rico del planeta. Sería fatal para nuestras aspiraciones futuras.

En el capitalismo se premia el éxito, no se castiga como en el comunismo. Como dice un viejo refrán: “Al que Dios se lo dio, San Pedro se lo bendiga”. No tratemos de castigar a los ricos, al contrario, imitemos su ejemplo y hagamos lo que ellos hacen. Inculquemos en nuestros hijos la necesidad de prepararnos y ser mejores cada día, no una carga para el gobierno, como hacen algunos por ahí. Solo nuestro Creador sabe cuál de ellos entrará en el Reino de los Cielos.

Juan Carlos León

Miami, FL

http://bitacoraparticipativa.blogspot.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I have always said "Merry Christmas".  I do not remember anyone being offended when I said it, but now adays it seems that many do get offended, and that saddens and angers me. 

During this time of year many holidays are celebrated and one of them, for those of us who are Christians, is the birth of Christ, our Saviour.  If you are of the Christian faith, you should not be ashamed or fearful of saying this very simple greeting - Merry Christmas. 

I do not know when it started - when did so many people decide to become offended by this greeting?   I think we need to stop it, and just accept the greeting as just another holiday greeting and not take it as a personal affront when we hear it. 

I am not Irish, yet people tell me "Happy St. Patty's Day" every year in March - I do not get offended - neither should you.  We respect other people's right to celebrate their faihthful holiday - let us respect Christians too.

Merry Christmas!  God's sweetest blessings are waiting for us - let us show goodwill towards all and claim them.

Thank You God, for everything and everyone You allowed in my life.

¿Una institución obsoleta?

Según una encuesta reciente del Centro Pew de Investigaciones y la revista Time el 40 por ciento de los estadounidenses, incluyendo los hispanos que viven en Estados Unidos, consideran que el matrimonio es una cosa del pasado, sin embargo, más del 90 por ciento de los encuestados ve la familia como algo muy importante en sus vidas. Esto suena un poco contradictorio, pero es una triste realidad que estamos experimentando hoy.

Cada día son más las parejas que prefieren vivir en concubinato antes que firmar un documento oficial el cual compromete a ambos no sólo ante las leyes de los hombres, sino también ante la de Dios.

Aquellos que deciden hacer las cosas bien hechas y se casan legalmente cuentan con la mitad de las probabilidades para que esta relación no sea un fracaso. Siempre que hay un divorcio los hijos son los más perjudicados quienes –en la mayoría de los casos- quedan traumatizados de por vida.

Las leyes en EE.UU. son bien estrictas a la hora de disolver un matrimonio oficial. En muchas ocasiones los hombres salen con la peor parte con respecto a las finanzas, especialmente si hay hijos en común.

Entre la separación de bienes, la manutención de los menores de edad y el Alimony (Pensión Matrimonial Compensatoria), toda una vida de trabajo duro, sacrificios y ahorros se desvanecen en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Quizás estas sean las causas principales que ahuyentan a los galanes del sagrado altar. Vivir juntos es una alternativa que cada vez está más de moda.

A modo de resumen, es bueno destacar que estamos pagando las consecuencias de nuestros pecados y desobediencia a Dios. El creó el matrimonio como una institución sagrada entre un hombre y una mujer y bajo ningún concepto debemos pensar que ya está obsoleta.

La fornicación no debe ser la opción y sólo la muerte deberá separar lo que el Señor unió. Sigamos sus mandamientos al pie de la letra por el bien y la felicidad de nuestras familias. El futuro de la humanidad depende de nosotros mismos.

Juan Carlos León
Miami, FL

http://bitacoraparticipativa.blogspot.com

I WANT TO LIVE!

by Laura Mirabal

There are some like me, who believe that God gives life and that God is the only one with the authority to take it.  In our society many have advocated and endowed themselves with this authority since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, in January 1973, legalizing abortion that left the unborn without any legal protection.  This started society’s downward moral spiral leading to a dark and evil path.

The dictionary defines abortion as - intentional termination of pregnancy, and pregnancy as - to carry developing offspring (children) within the body.  Putting these two definitions together abortion is - the intentional termination of a developing offspring (children) within the body.   Wow!  Put it in this context, those participating in this act are terminating a developing offspring (children).

Can any of us imagine our lives without a Thomas Edison, Alexander Fleming, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Bill Gates, or Barak Hussein Obama, just to name a few,  or without our family and friends?  We would never know or enjoy the contributions and joy these people brought to enrich and improve our lives.   Because of these brave, industrious, and innovative people, we, have the light bulb, penicillin, learned how to bring dignity to the poorest of the poor, had the civil rights movement, benefit from Microsoft, and elected the first Black president of the United States, respectively.

These people contributed to heal societal ills and catapulted the world out of darkness and disease, and offered us hope.  Each changed our hearts and enriched our lives or our philosophical view of life and those all around the world that ultimately changed it forever. I pause and affirm that life is awesome - because they were born.

In the United States, the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of Roe v. Wade, abortions became legalized genocide of the most innocent and defenseless of humans – the unborn child or fetus.  Abortions have caused millions of deaths of the unborn; even during the process of being born.  Abortions have caused incalculable pain and suffering and has traumatized millions of women now struggling to find some peace and healing from the choice they made, and to the men who grieve for their children because they had no choice. 

Western society enthusiastically embraces abortion as a means of birth control or contraception.  Doctors are enlisted, whose oath is to protect the weak and vulnerable, to provide this service under the guise of its legality - to ease their conscience. 

A society that can infringe on the rights of these innocent and defenseless beings will have no qualms and on a whim will decide who has a right to live or die.  Violating this inalienable human right to life perils all other rights and more inalienable rights can be taken from us too.

We live in a country that protects our rights to make the best choices for our lives, and although I am against abortion, I respect the right of women to be pro-choice.  I am also nonplussed at this society’s passionate and vociferous campaign about saving all sorts of animal species, plants and trees, but yet can be so self-congratulatory, proud and insensitive in their zeal to encourage women to kill their unborn child by heinous and cruel methods, if the child were an inconvenience. 

This society proudly endorses our tax dollars to provide free condoms to children in school, but wouldn’t dare suggest that abstinence be taught instead, or that moral values be taught which would create a moral conscience in those young minds to help them make the best choices for their lives.  

When I hear the argument that a fetus is not really a child because it has not been born I think how ridiculous this sounds and I think back to one summer when I was a little girl and my father and I planted watermelon seeds.  Those watermelons seeds were not watermelons, but they had the potential and were in development to become watermelons - with nurturing and care. 

Like the watermelon seeds, caring for and loving a child from the time of conception, will grow, develop and eventually shooting out as a human being – they just need for us to love them enough to give them that chance.  A fetus is the union of a man’s and woman’s God-given gift to reproduce and populate the world.  The fetus has the potential of being born as an individual who has the right to live and decide the course of its own life and positively impact our lives and those of others.   

 Before Roe v. Wade women aborted their fetuses in the first trimester (first three months after conception, maturation or gestation), but now abortions include the termination of full-term babies while they are being born, called Partial Birth Abortion; the ultimate torture and child abuse  committed on the unborn.

I would not call a doctor performing abortions, doctor – it would be oxymoronic to do so, because by definition a doctor is – a person trained in the healing arts. 

I found some parts of the Hippocratic Oath which all doctors swear to:

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that   warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.

... Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

There are seven (7) different methods of abortion performed today.  Partial Birth Abortion was banned in 2003 by President George W. Bush, but President Obama reinstated it shortly after taking office; he has always advocated Partial Birth Abortion even from the time he was in the House of Representatives in Illinois.

Here is a very chilling fact: in this dangerous world we live in today with threats from extreme Muslim terrorists chanting death to all non-Muslims –their population increases while ours decreases.  Muslims do not practice abortion on-demand as we do; they believe that God is the giver of life and that children are a blessing - as God tells us in the Psalm 127: 3-5

1   Unless the LORD builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
   the guards stand watch in vain. 3 Children are a heritage from the LORD,
offspring a reward from him. 4   Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
   are children born in one’s youth. 5   Blessed is the man
   whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
   when they contend with their opponents in court.

I could not imagine my life without my family and friends who touched my life and whom I dearly love.  Each one of us touches another in some way.  We are the links in the chain of life and humanity, each is important, no matter how fragile or insignificant we think some links are.  To God – every life is valuable, every life is important; every life is significant - because He created us, and we are made in His image.

El pueblo donde yo nací

Estimado Sr. Director:

Hace casi tres lustros que abandoné mi pueblo querido Santo Domingo, y diez años que no visito mi Cuba bella.

Tengo que reconocer que extraño mucho aquellas pequeñas cosas que tan felices nos hacían, desde jugar un partido de dominó en el parque, hasta darme un chapuzón en el arroyuelo.

Como dijo el Apóstol: “Nuestro vino es amargo, pero es nuestro vino”. Por razones del destino muchos de nosotros tuvimos que tomar otros rumbos alejados de la tierra que nos vio nacer.

Solo nos quedan recuerdos de nuestra infancia, adolescencia y adultez que, aunque fueron muy humildes, las disfrutamos al máximo.

Yo vengo de un pueblo muy privilegiado el cual cuenta con tres centrales azucareros. También tenemos La Cervecería y La Ronera Central. Nos encanta el guarapo y alzar el codo de vez en cuando. Quizás es por eso que somos tan alegres y hospitalarios.

De vez en cuando nos tirábamos algún que otro puñetazo después de unas cuantas jarras de cerveza, sin embargo, al otro día nos dábamos las manos como si nada hubiera pasado.

Por las noches nos sentábamos en El Parque Central para hacer cuentos hasta las altas horas de la madrugada. Entre los mosquitos y el inmenso calor durante el verano hacían casi imposible irse a la cama con La Calabacita. Conversábamos y nos reíamos hasta que refrescaba y, entonces, era que finalmente nos íbamos a dormir.

Tengo tremendos deseos de comerme un lechón asado criado con palmiche, pienso y maíz. Uno de esos que cuando se fríe el olor se siente en todo el vecindario, por supuesto, las “frías” no pueden faltar. Me gustaría compartirlo con mis parientes, amigos y vecinos. Ese calor humano es muy difícil de encontrar en lugares ajenos y distantes.

También me gustaría mover el esqueleto detrás de La Comparsa. Nuestros Carnavales eran famosos en toda la isla. Todos los años nos divertíamos de sol a sol durante estas Parrandas.

Nuestro Santo Domingo querido estará siempre presente.

No existe dinero en el mundo que pueda compensar los buenos ratos que pasamos allí y que nunca más volverán. Nos arrebataron nuestro suelo natal, pero lo ... que ya vivimos nos lo llevamos con nosotros en nuestras mentes y corazones.

Juan Carlos León

Miami, FL

HELLO MR. GOD

By:  Laura Mirabal

THE SUNRISE IS A SIGHT TO BEHOLD

THIS IS YOUR WAY OF SAYING “HELLO”.

THE BIRDS THAT SING TO ME ALL DAY,

ARE SPEAKING FOR YOU IN MELODIOUS WAYS.

THE DEW ON THE TREES AND FLOWERS AND GRASS,

ARE THE TEARS YOU SHED FOR THE SINS IN US.

THEN AGAIN THE SUN SETS FAR AWAY IN THE WEST,

AGAIN YOU MUST LEAVE US TO GO HOME TO REST.

THE NIGHT FALLS SO HEAVY, SO FULL OF WOE

TO MAKE US REFLECT ON THE TURMOIL WE CAUSED.

TOMORROW AGAIN THE SUNRISE WILL COME,

YOUR WAY OF SAYING, “HERE’S ANOTHER CHANCE”.

YOU GIVE US ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET CLOSER TO THEE,

ANOTHER DAY DAWINING FILLED WITH YOUR LOVE FOR ME.

PARTAKING, O SWEET AGONY

By:  Laura Mirabal

Oh my Jesus, every time I am at Mass, and see the priest lift the host and the wine, my heart just aches inside

I want to be able to take communion, but I can’t, so I sit silently crying; my heart aching.

Envying those who are able to take you sacramentally and I think how lucky they all are.

They can come to the altar and partake of your body and blood, oh Lord, my heart cries out to you

But soon, long after the last parishioner has sat down in the pew, the ache goes away. 

 I pray for comfort from not being able to partake, and patience to wait for the right time – God’s time is not mine.

The Flies

By: Laura Mirabal

Don’t open the window so wide,

those pesky flies will come inside.

They’ll buzz around your head all day,

and light atop the pie you baked.

You won’t know what to do with them,

they’ll drive you crazy; you’ll go insane.

They make that awful sound in your ear

You won’t get them back outside – that’s clear!

You’ll swat them and spray them, to no avail.

You’ll want to send those suckers to hell.

So, don’t open the window so wide,

those pesky flies will come inside.

The First Environmentalist

By: Laura Mirabal

Mr. Caputo was my 6^th grade math teacher.  He’s Italian, has olive skin, a lot of gray hair and wears metal rimmed glasses.  I thought he was about 100 years old, and probably weighed 300 lbs.  His arms were Popeye-shaped arms with lots of hair growing on them.  Since math class was in the afternoon, Mr. Caputo always had a dark shadow around his lips and chin where his beard would grow if he didn’t take the time each morning to shave.

Mr. Caputo hardly ever smiled; I don’t think I ever heard him laugh.  Each kid in the class silently prayed that they were never picked on to answer questions.  When he picked on you he’d look at you with steady eyes.  When we didn’t know the answer, which was often, he’d keep looking at us until all we could do was lower our eyes and hope he’d pick on someone else; the sooner the better.

I think Mr. Caputo was the pioneer of all environmentalists.  He examined every piece of paper to be thrown away.  He looked at the front, turned it over and looked at the back.  If there was one square inch of writing surface left on any piece of paper, he’d take it to the paper cutter and make scratch paper.  On the first day of class he instructed us to take scratch to use for solving all math problems.  Of course, at that time calculators were not popular for use in the classroom.  The only calculators we used were our brains.  He would also hand us a handful of scratch paper along with our tests.  I never understood why I had to use scratch paper when I had a notebook full of good paper.

Going to the blackboard to solve math problems was a matter of great apprehension for me.  I was not a good math student.  Mr. Caputo loved picking on me to go the blackboard.  I think that this is where I learned to write well on a blackboard; it was a daily ritual with him.  When I got stuck on a particular problem, he’d work me through it until I finally got it.  By the end of the session I would go back to my seat exhausted, embarrassed, and hating him.  But Mr. Caputo would still work with me, push me and challenge me.  I thought he hated me.  At 11 years old, you think all adults are mean.

Mr. Caputo would sometimes bring his camera to class.  He enjoyed taking pictures of us.  One day he took a picture of me after I had failed a math test.  There I was with a long face, my chin in the palm of my hand, leaning forward not paying any attention to him.  He snapped the picture; I was furious.  My mother thought it was comical.  She told me that she liked Mr. Caputo because he knew what she knew; I had the potential to be a great student.

My mother kept that photograph.  Every time I come across it, I’m transported back to Mr. Caputo’s math class.  He etched life values which I could not have appreciated at the tender age of 11.  Now, at 57, I think about that short time I spent in his class and realize that Mr. Caputo wanted me to learn.  He liked being a teacher.  He knew that I had the potential to learn and be a better student than I gave myself credit for.

As I get older, I realize that the people who touched us the most and remain most vivid in our minds are those who taught us the most by challenging us to learn.

VETERANS DAY

May God bless all veterans serving our country in all parts of the world.  Thank you for sacrificing your lives to keep us free, may all the citizens of this great nation be always grateful for it. 

America the Beautiful

 Words by Katharine Lee Bates

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

EL SALUDO

Por: Anónimo

Una sola palabra de solo cuatro letras,

Cambio mi vida sin tú ni yo darnos cuenta.

Esa sola palabra acaricio mi corazón,

Y sentí que en mi alma la esperanza despertó.

Una sola palabra me levanto del hoyo del desespero,

Esa sola palabra me encamino al conocimiento de nuevos deseos.

Una sola palabra, para mí, dulce, tierna -  que tanto necesitaba,

Esa sola palabra fue el lindo comenzó de nuestra amistad desenfrenada.

Una sola palabra y recuerdos perdidos encontré,

En tu obsesión apasionada por mí, que nunca yo espere.

Una sola palabra que devolvió a mí el aliento,

Y  por ti, volví a sentir deliciosos, lujuriosos sentimientos.

Una sola palabra que como una luz relumbrante alumbro,

Un cuarto oscuro y frio en mi sollozo corazón.

Una sola palabra que lleno mi vida desapasionada,

Y compartimos muchas horas de sonrisas y bonitas palabras.

Una sola palabra, así comenzó nuestra ardiente amistad,

Esa solo palabra que enviaste para mi vida animar.

Por estas y muchas razones más, hoy te envió todo mi cariño,

Y deseo que siempre quedemos, como buenos y sinceros amigos.

.

EL SALUDO
Por: Anónimo

Una sola palabra de solo cuatro letras,

Cambio mi vida sin tú ni yo darnos cuenta.

Esa sola palabra acaricio mi corazón,

Y sentí que en mi alma la esperanza despertó.

Una sola palabra me levanto del hoyo del desespero,

Esa sola palabra me encamino al conocimiento de nuevos deseos.

Una sola palabra, para mí, dulce, tierna -  que tanto necesitaba,

Esa sola palabra fue el lindo comienzó de nuestra amistad desenfrenada.

Una sola palabra y recuerdos perdidos encontré,

En tu obsesión apasionada por mí, que nunca yo espere.

Una sola palabra que devolvió a mí el aliento,

Gracias a ti, volví a sentir deliciosos, lujuriosos sentimientos.

Una sola palabra que como una luz relumbrante alumbro,

Un cuarto oscuro y frio en mi sollozo corazón.

Una sola palabra que lleno mi vida desapasionada,

Y compartimos muchas horas de sonrisas y bonitas palabras.

Una sola palabra, así comenzó nuestra ardiente amistad,

Esa solo palabra que enviaste para mi vida animar.

Por estas y muchas razones más, hoy te envió todo mi cariño,

Y deseo que siempre quedemos, como buenos y sinceros amigos.

The Journey

By: Laura Mirabal

The irony of life, to think that birth is a happy beginning and death a bitter end.

Birth is the start of a tempestuous journey down the road of sorrow, pain and despair.

The hands of hate and conflict wait to get you in their grasp, as we journey down life’s road.

Life’s painful treasure is ever present to touch you with bitter-sweet pain and pleasure.

No matter the days of happiness you may have, those days are few and far between; despair and pain will always be a step behind.

You must first cry, before you can laugh; you must first endure pain before you can enjoy relief.

Although death is the end of life’s journey, the touch of the Master’s Hand will set you on the road to true happiness, true pleasure, and true joy and without despair.

I AM DETERMINED TO DETERMINE THE COURSE FOR MY LIFE

BY:  Laura Mirabal

I CAN EXERCISE MY FREE WILL WITHOUT EXPERIENCING FATE.

I CAN EXPERIENCE FATE WITHOUT EXCERSING MY FREE WILL

I CAN EXERCISE MY FREE WILL AND EXPERIENCE FATE.

I HAVE GOD-GIVEN FREEDOM TO MAKE WHATEVER CHOICES I WANT FOR MY LIFE.

I AM NOT A PURE DETERMINIST YET I KNOW I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE FORCES OF NATURE (I.E., WHEN THE SUN RISES, HIGH TIDE, THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS)

I BELIEVE IN PREDESTINATION, BUT I’M NOT A FATALIST.

I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A GOD-FEARING HOME AND TAUGHT THAT CHOICES WERE EITHER GOOD OR EVIL (AS PERCEIVED BY OUR FAITH) AND OF COURSE, I SHOULD ALWAYS CHOOSE. GOOD.

I WAS TAUGHT THAT BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS I SHOULD FIRST CONSIDER THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS.  MY FEELINGS AND WELL-BEING WERE NOT A CONSIDERATION FROM THE ON-SET.

I BELIEVE MY FREEDOM OF CHOICE (OR FEE WILL) IS LIMITED BY THE LONG-TERM CAUSES AND EFFECTS THOSE CHOICES MAY HAVE ON OTHERS AND MYSELF.  BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS ASK MYSELF, “HOW MY CHOICES WILL AFFECT SOMEONE ELSE.”

I AGREE WITH SKINNER THAT THE CHOICES I MAKE TODAY ARE INFLUENCED BY MY PAST EXPERIENCES OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENT.  I BELIEVE THAT CHOICES I MAKE TODAY WILL AFFECT THE FUTURE (MINE AND THOSE AROUND ME).  I FEEL A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE CHOICES. 

I BELIEVE THAT EVEN WHEN I CHOOSE NOT TO MAKE A DECISION I AM STILL EXERCING MY FREE WILL.

I AM MORE OF A SELF-DETERMINIST THAN A PURE DETERMINIST.  TO ME DETERMINISM AND FREE WILL GO HAND-IN-HAND, LIKE NIGHT AND DAY.

I BELIEVE IN GOD, THEREFORE, I BELIEVE IN PREDESTINATION. HE DECIDED I WOULD BE FEMALE, WHO MY PARENTS WOULD BE.  WHERE AND WHEN I WOULD BE BORN - WHO MY SIBLINGS WOULD BE, ETC.

I BELIEVE GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OUR LIVES.  BELIEVING THIS HELPS ME DEAL WITH ADVERSITY AND EVENTS I CANNOT CHANGE OR CONTROL, AND WHEN THE CHOICES I’VE MADE WERE NOT WISE OR DIDN’T HAVE THE OUTCOME I EXPECTED, FOR MYSELF OR OTHERS. 

THEREFORE, I TEND TO ALWAYS FOLLOW EVERY STATEMENT REFERRING TO A FUTURE EVENT WITH THE AFFIRMATION, “GOD WILLING”.

I CANNOT EXERCISE FREE WILL WITHOUT BELIEF IN DETERMINISM.  BELIEVING THAT I DON’T HAVE FULL CONTROL OF MY WORLD GIVES ME A COMFORT LEVEL.  I BELIEVE THAT GOOD CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT EVIL, JUST AS NIGHT CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT DAY.

I AGREE WITH SOCRATES, GOOD AND BAD/EVIL IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

I AM A SELF-DETERMINIST.

MARCO RUBIO, Senator Elect, Florida

 

Marco Antonio Rubio

Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician, lawyer, and current United States Senator-elect from Florida.^[1] Rubio was the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives during the 2007 and 2008 legislative sessions. He was first elected to the Florida House as a Republican on January 25, 2000, from the 111th district. He is the GOP Senator-elect for the Florida U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Mel Martinez and currently held by George LeMieux.

Early life

Rubio is the second son and third child of Cuban exiles Mario Rubio (1927–2010)^[2] and Oria Garcia (born 1931), and was born in Miami, Florida. His siblings are: Mario (born 1950), Barbara (born 1960) and Veronica (born 1972). Rubio is a former Roman Catholic, who currently attends the Evangelical Christ Fellowship Church in West Kendall, leading to criticism for publicly still claiming to be a Catholic.^[3] Rubio is fluent in Spanish. His father was a bartender and his mother worked as a hotel housekeeper in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rubio lived in Las Vegas from 1979 to 1985, before his family returned to Miami in the summer of 1985.

Political career

He is the author of the book 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future. This book was compiled from Rubio's travels around the state to gather ideas from citizens. This was done through what Rubio calls "Idearaisers". Many of the issues that he pushed for in his first year as speaker came from ideas in this book. During 2007, Marco Rubio championed a major overhaul of the Florida tax system. He argued it would reduce property taxes and decrease the size of government.^{[citation needed}Marco Rubio served as a City Commissioner for West Miami before being elected to the Florida House of Representatives for the 111th District in a special election on January 25, 2000. He has won each of his re-election bids.^[4] In November 2006, he was elected Speaker of the Florida State House for the 2006-08 term.

Mi Tributo

Yo no pude escoger

Quienes fueran mis padres

Porque tan buenos y amorosos

Solo Dios pudiera darme

Nina rica nunca fui

Pero si en bendiciones

Porque yo siempre he tenido de mima y pipo sus atenciones

Disciplina, con amor me daban

Pues padres que disciplinan

Son padres que aman

A Dios gracias le doy hoy

Por todo lo que me dieron

Es por Dios y ellos

Hoy soy la más feliz del mundo entero

Dios los bendiga y los cuide en el cielo

Porque lo que yo soy hoy

A dios y a ellos se lo debo

THE CANDY SHOP

By Laura Mirabal

I remember Saturday mornings, when I was about six or seven years old in the early 60s, walking with my dad to the local candy shop.  Saturday was my favorite day of the week, next to Sunday, because I didn’t have to go to school. 

Saturday, especially, my family and I enjoyed a big breakfast, with Cuban bread smothered in butter, yes, butter, no artificial products for us, Cuban coffee with milk and scrambled eggs, and maybe ham.  Cuban bread comes in long bagette loaves.  I can still remember seeing my dad cut one end of the loaf, he put his fingers in the crevasse of the the cut end and take out the bread dough rolling it in the palm of his hand until he made a perfect little sphere of the dough.  Then he would pat some butter on it and hand it me.  I thought this was the neatest thing! 

After breakfast I took off to the living room where TV-land awaited me!  I would be glued to the floor in from of the television console, to watch hours of cartoons from Mighty Mouse, Tom and Jerry, and all the other wholesome cartoons, including commercials, (the cigarette commercials were run in the evening), deemed acceptable for all viewing audiences.

 In the afternoon, after the cartoons were over, of course, my dad would announce that we were going to the candy shop.  He grabbed my hand and we walked, yes, we walked, my father enjoyed walking a lot, to the candy shop located two blocks from our house.  You see, my dad and I had a voracious sweet tooth, and going to the candy shop was our favorite thing to do together.

My dad always made this trek fun.  On our way to the candy shop he did something that will always remain a euphoric memory for me, he would lead us to an empty lot found on the way.  He would tell me that we needed to find and collect empty coke bottles, I asked him why we had to collect empty coke bottles; he would say it was to buy the candy.

Scavenging for coke bottles was fun, although it slowed the progression to the candy shop, but I was just happy that afterward we were going to buy candy, and I knew that this was a bitter-sweet task, that if we found enough bottles, we would get to the candy shop sooner and would be able to buy lots of candy .     

I was very good at finding the bottles.  We usually found at least three, this was usually enough to buy our bounty of candy.  When we reached the candy shop we gave the empty bottles to the shopkeeper to redeem, each bottle was redeemable for five cents apiece.

 Back in the early 60s, candy sold for 1¢ to 5 ¢ max each!  My favorite candy, even today, were Mary Janes and bubble gum; each piece, back then was 1¢.  I would usually buy five pieces of each.  If we had enough money, I would buy one Milky Way Bar, which was 5¢.  My dad also bought his favorite, rock candy, these sold for 1¢ per stick or 5¢ per box.  I know now, as I think back to these wonderful trips to the candy shop, that he would wait for me to make all my selections before he made his.  I know now that he wanted me to be happy and he would take what was left over from the bottle money to make his purchase. 

After the shopkeeper placed our purchases in the paper bag, yes back then we only had paper bags, my dad and I walked back home.  Once home, I was allowed to eat a few pieces of candy and the rest was saved for later. 

As I remember these treks with dad, I think how fortunate I was, that as a little girl he loved me so much that he included me on his walk to the candy shop to buy his coveted candy, he made it fun for me, taught me a valuable lesson on the worth of money, we bonded as daughter and father, and he left a sweet memory for the rest of my life.

My dad died many years ago, but the memories we made, such as our Saturday afternoon treks to the candy shop, which I recall today, will keep him alive in my heart for ever.