I had a dream last night about Gaby, my mama in Mexico. It's been a while since I've had those dreams, but they used to happen a lot. She’s not my real mom, but she was for two months when I lived in her home during an international volunteers program. She is an amazing, strong woman. She owns a business, runs a family – and in my dream she even spoke English all of a sudden. She asked me how I was. She listened to me. She was so excited I got married. She told me all about a new business she started (which I googled, and she actually did start something new!). I woke up so content. She is my favorite memory of Mexico.
Besides dating and marrying Tyler, Mexico was the happiest time of my life. I miss it a lot, but not as much as I did when I got home. All I could think about was how sad I was to leave. I cried a lot. The learning Spanish. The love and family togetherness I felt in Gaby’s home. Even the food. And every day, members of my group went to different service projects. Me and three others were the lucky ones assigned to the Helen Keller School for the Blind. We played, we sang, we swam with the students there. It was amazing how much we learned.
I promised myself that I would never forget who I was there – and I would never forget the importance and joy of loosing yourself by helping others. I wish I could say that promise has been kept every day. Sometimes I see all too clearly how far I am from the person I want to be. But the goal’s still there! I just keep working forwards. Hopefully someday I'm that person again.
Umm... wow! How did I miss that you lived in Mexico for a while?! That's so cool! Way to be :) I know what you mean though about wanting to be who you were when you were somewhere else. I'm still working on that one too.
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