BERTA

 

Embracing the rainstorms!

No big... just crocodiles under the bridge.

      Berta is the grandmother of many of the children that live in el Rio. She has 18 children with Nikolas. Yesterday, I sat by her in church and she reached for my hand. For the rest of the service she hung on to my hand with a grip that said she couldn’t handle being alone. During the last prayer, she stood up and walked to the front of the Church and started to cry; I had never seen anything like it.  Afterwards, we sat out front and she told me that being at church was one of the most painful things because of how much she missed Maicol (who was her son—I also wrote about him a few weeks ago). She explained that all his friends were there and the loss just made her feel isolated and alone.

            Death has not kept distance within this last year from my own life. With the passing of my Grandpa at the end of the semester, I began to understand the emotional stress of losing a loved one. When I logged on to the computer this morning, I was heartbroken to see that my roommate’s Aunt had passed away last night. Again, I was reminded the impermanence of life and the importance of gratitude for the days that we do have. In the rush of life, we forget the most important things. Even here in Costa Rica, I grow frustrated when plans fall apart or rain stops adventures. In doing so, I forget to be thankful for the beautiful people that surround me.

            My days in Costa Rica are limited; with 9 days left I can count my Latin American days on my hands. Today, I am headed to el Rio with flowers. I am going to invite Berta to walk to the cemetery with me to pay a visit to Maicol. The days that we feel most lonely are just the days we forget the support we have around us; I want to help Berta remember that I am here for her. When we miss the ones who are gone, it is a day to recognize the beauty of Berta’s gesture in church. With boldness, I dare you to find the hand of the one you loved that sits next to you and keep your hands clasped in a firm grip. Hold on to the tangible realities of the now. It is with a friend and a strong embrace that loneliness subsides.