My family makes fun of me because I struggle to remember key scenes and phrases from movies or lyrics from songs that they easily recall. It's a running joke where they will go into 20-30 minutes of lines, with each saying the next line, as I watch them re-enact the scenes and laugh out loud.
Every now and then though, I shock them when I happen to say something that they clearly know. I don't know why that is the case but I just don't remember things like this, like I used to. If I ever did.
I do remember when and where things happen, what I felt during those momentous times or things that really hit my gut.
One scene etched in my mind is from The Lion King where Simba is reminded by Rafiki about his father and that his father's wisdom, character and strength is ingrained in him. It is in his DNA and is his Legacy.
Sometimes, just like in The Lion King, what is needed is "un cocotazo" or a knock upside the head to make sure that you get reminded of what is important. The importance of the truth, your values, your character, your heritage, your family - past, present and future. The best part was when Rafiki says "You see he lives in you". At this point, Mufasa comes back through a spirit and says "Simba, you have forgotten me. You have forgotten yourself and therefore you have forgotten me."
My parents instilled that in me. We all have a sense of revolt towards our parents and want to set our own course, create our own path and be nothing like our parents. It took time for me to realize and acknowledge, just like Simba, that I am like my parents. The Good, the Bad, the indifferent. My dad's hot headedness, his tell it like it is approach, his extremely high and sometimes unreachable expectations, but also his worth ethic, love for family, love for our Puerto Rican heritage. My mom's emotions (yes, men do cry), her empathy, her love of family, her "skills" with children as my son Nick attests to. Add to this my own character traits: my desire to do the right thing, my moral compass, my social personality to befriend everybody.
My dad had half a dozen Puerto Rican stickers and flags in his car, if not more. In my car, I have a single Puerto Rican flag attached to the front window to always remind me of where my parents came from, where I come from "pre birth". Where my roots are and who I am. From people that are proud yet humble. Strong but respectful and caring. Full of life, passion, hope and most of all resilient to the incredible challenges of living on an island that at times feels isolated from the mainland even though it has been part of the U.S. since 1898.
Never was Puerto Rico reminded more about its isolation, 2nd class citizenship and association with the United States than when Hurricane Maria nearly destroyed the island in September 2017. Unable to have direct contact with family over there for weeks, which seemed like months. Having to turn to people in other states who had long range CB radios who could connect with people, isolated in an island without water, electricity, communication, essential hospital and healthcare services, just to name a few of the things they lost.
The following year, I went to Puerto Rico, to visit my family and pay my respects to one of my aunts that had passed away. My own father, her brother, had unexpectedly pre-deceased her by 6 months. While there, another one of my 70 year old aunts told me about how difficult it was for them after the hurricane. She would wake up at 5 in the morning to start digging out the sludge from the basement because of the mud slides while praying to God to give her strength to continue doing this and taking care of her husband who was in a wheelchair and needed help full time.
Things were so bad that months later, FEMA and a team of rescue personnel from different countries, this one from Africa of all places, showed up to ask my aunt where they were getting water. My aunt brought them to the back of the house to show them the tank full of water. She told them that she was filling it up with the water that would come from this pipe/hole (circled in the picture below) in the wall that God had provided. It is what they were drinking from, since the hurricane had shut down everything.
The response from the Federal Government under the helm of the former President was disastrous, pitiful if not downright shameful. It lacked empathy, care and respect for fellow Americans.
I previously wrote about it in a prior blog. Even the Daily News made a note to plea for help on behalf of the American citizens in Puerto Rico.
It has been 7 years since Maria. For Puerto Ricans on the island, it is still hit and miss to lose power on a regular day because of the slightest rainfall or even no rain at all. Just regularly occurring power outages that also prevents the water from being pumped up to the remote part of the island where my family lives.
Yes they are resilient and most have built additional reserve tanks that they depend on when "the water goes" or as they say "se fue el agua". Yes, while some of them have solar panels and battery backup that were added to their homes as part of the recovery process, not every home has it. In October of this year, for another funeral, I was able to go there and experience the lack of power and water myself, but luckily I stayed at one of the homes with the additional reserves and backup power. Half of the house had power and half of it did not since the power system was not big enough to supply power for the whole house.
Less than 2 weeks ago, during an event in Madison Square Garden, Puerto Ricans were reminded of how they are viewed by the "conservative" party with a joke about a floating island of garbage called Puerto Rico.
The response from the nearly 5.2M Puerto Ricans that live in the U.S., was instant, resounding and continues to this day, several weeks later. Tonight, the night before the 2024 election, it is being viewed as an inflection or turning point in this election.
I Remember. I remember what I felt, not being able to know if my friends and family in Puerto Rico were alive. I remember the long hours of collecting donations and the generous response from the churches, people in the community and businesses to send help to Puerto Rico to make up for the weak response of the Federal Government. I remember the despair of the voices over the phone, the tears streaming down my face when I spoke with my family on the island after weeks of not knowing. I remember my community of Puerto Ricans and the constant saying that Puerto Rico Se Levanta, translated as Puerto Rico will Rise Again.
Marc Anthony, in a recent ad captured this emotion. As he said the words, I too remembered what I felt.
No comments:
Post a Comment