I SEE YOU

Jessica, Jose, Me, and Paola (from left to right) at Disneyland

            The adventure begins tomorrow as I head to LA where I will stay the night and then take off from LAX at 1PM on Wednesday. I have been showered with good wishes and many hugs over the last few days as the big day draws near. Throughout this week, I have been preparing for the trip but I have also been building a few relationships. Yesterday, I talked about the new opportunity I have had with my Grandma. Today, I realized once more that in every avenue of my life, I have been presented with unexpected opportunities. 

            My mom’s house has become increasingly busy in the last year. Jose, my 21-year-old best friend from when I was born moved in last year. A few months later, his two cousins Paola (16 years old) and Jessica (14 years old) moved in. Finally, about a month ago there was one last addition, Paola and Jessica’s siblings: Pamela (12 years old) and Alex (10 years old).  This means, that when I am home there is a grand total of seven children in one house and a whole lot of crazy.

            During my vacations throughout the year, I have had time to get to know Paola and Jessica but Pamela and Alex were new to me and so I had this one week to establish a relationship with them. Some of the best moments this week have been with them. Two nights ago, Alex snuggled up to me as we joked around in my mom’s room. I got to peel away the hard shell he puts on for the rest of the world and meet the little boy that is still there. Yesterday, Pamela and I bonded as we picked an outfit for her for Mother’s Day brunch. Her goofy sense of humor shined behind a vibrant smile and it was a beautiful moment for the two of us.

            Today, however, Jessica reminded me to remember the loved ones that I already had relationships with. While I had spent all my time at home trying to get to know the new children, I forgot that the ones I already knew still had a lot to teach me about themselves. After a long day involving a 6 AM alarm clock, a visit from a friend from school, and a lice outbreak in the house, I had had enough. Similarly, Jessica was tired and worn out. In short, we ended up with the door locked on the floor of my old room (her room now) holding each other close in comfort.

            Usually, people are quick to point out the differences between Jessica and me. While I am more passive she strikes with a fiery tounge. When I study for hours, she chats with her many friends. I love to read she watches Mexican music videos. Today, as we stared at one another on the floor, our similarities couldn’t help but grab hold of us. We were both eager for the love of the people around us. We like to make our friends and families happy and when they aren’t proud of us, it is the most painful feeling in the world. It was a time where two opposites looked at one another and understood without too many words.

            The whole thing reminded me of a greeting an old teacher once told me about in an African village. When two people pass by each other instead of hello, the first says, “I see you” and the other replies, “then I am”. Today I saw Jessica, and she was a beautiful, compassionate young woman. Tonight, while I write, I think of her again while we hugged and I promised her I would always be on her team. Today, Jessica was. Tomorrow, I will be. Together, we were a stunning team.