The Light Shining On My Life

There we were in a house that was so cold and alone. Only one month before the storm hit I was there with a bunch of friends enjoying my world and my life and this house saw so much laughter, fun and good friends come together. It was alive!

The journey began, the first state we rode through was Alabama, I couldn’t see much since it was night time. All I could see was the clear night sky. No stars were shining that night. The only lights I could see were street lights, building lights, and other cars. Looking around inside the car, everyone was asleep except for my uncle since he was the one driving. I must have been asleep the whole 4 hours and 46-minute car ride through Mississippi because I don’t remember anything, same with Louisiana. Finally, when we got to Texas all I wanted to do was get out of the car, so luckily, we stopped by to eat at Cici’s. My aunt said, “To enjoy this last meal since it was the last fast food, that we would be having for a while.” After we ate, it took us about 5-hours to get to Matamoros, Mexico. That was where we had to drive through the border to get into Mexico. Once we got into Mexico, there were lines of cars everywhere from people trying to enter and leave at the same time. The lines were slowly moving, like a turtle, inch by inch. There

The plane took off and were in the air leaving the place I had only ever known. I remember when my parents told me and my two brothers that we would be moving to the United states. At the time I didn’t know where we would end up or how we were even getting there. All I knew was I would be in a totally different landscape with a lot of ethnically different people whom I have never met or seen before.

Getting on our plane was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to, especially since my dad couldn’t come with us that day. December 8, 2010 was the day my family decided that moving to America would give me and my brother many more opportunities, keep in mind my parents hadn’t told us that we were moving to the US. I remember I had been hugging my dad saying goodbye to him and my mom had to come and grab me away from him. His face was through the window was the last thing I remember seeing before buckling my seat belt and laying down on my mother’s shoulder. Once we had landed my mother woke me up and said to me that I should help out with the luggage and the other belongings we had to take. The night went by probably faster than

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Puerto Rico where my family and I were taking a vacation that spring. As I lay on my dad’s colorful bed in the small pink villa on the water, I find it hard to enjoy the view that comes from the balcony and the salty smell of the light blue ocean. The villa resides on a rocky cliff where the rippling ocean waves smash onto the rocks below. The waves, which usually relax me, are insignificant. I see colorful houses that run along the water for miles just like ours. In the corner of my eye I see the infinity pool that looks out onto the crystal clear water. Something else is on my mind. Something not even the alluring scenery could take my mind off of-death. One month earlier, I lost my mom to a vicious disease called cancer. Its evilness left my family and I broken and sick at heart. When I look back now to that vacation, I think nothing other than sadness and mourning. Maybe it was too soon to take a vacation, I thought. My dad walks into his room and sits next to me on his bed.

Before we got on our plane we picked up some food and sodas. While eating we began to reminisce in the memories we had in ethiopia. We told our dad we wanted to stay. Holding back a tear he told us this was the best for us. We grabbed our orange sodas and got ready for our flight. I looked out the window looking at the city, all the lights made me think i was looking at what i thought was new york city. I looked out the window and shed a tear knowing i wouldn't be back for a while.

As much as I loved living in Mexico as a child I always missed my father, I spend 6 birthdays, 6 Christmases, and 6 Father’s days without him. Even though he called every single day, my sister and I needed him to be in our lives physically. I know it was also very difficult for my parents to be apart and my dad suffered deeply but he was sacrificing to give us a better future. In the summer of 2007, when

The day before my thirty-sixth birthday, I found myself at my father’s hospital bed as his life support was turned off. As I held my father’s hand, and my life with him flashed through my mind, I thought about that question I had often asked myself: If had known what life with my father would be like, would I still followed him to El Otro Lado?

The summer rain of San Luis Potosí, México, made it almost impossible to go outside and enjoy the city without getting drenched, so Abuelito, Silence, and I together in one room, enjoying our second return to our hometown. He sat on his chair and I lay on the bed, calmly looking through the family albums. Bookshelves filled with books from my mother’s and uncles’ university courses and my Abuelita’s books from her teaching years covered one wall. It remained the same ever since we moved to the United States. The same TV. The same bed sheets. The only things that changed was my grandpa’s ability to walk and me. I gained height and weight and well, he has gotten older and weaker. I have lived my whole life with him by my side but do I really

Sitting in the back of the car with my younger brother and sister memories started coming back. I could hear the water from the river in mexico in my head. The voice of my cousin yelling and the laughter of my uncle. The crying of my baby cousin and the sound of cooking food. Then the funny feeling came back. I missed mexico, the air was fresh, the water was clear and the weather was nice. The shining sun reflecting off the water and the warm fresh air running across the flesh of people's bodies . The

The blinding light coming from the outside poured into me. I grabbed the air reaching for water just like looking for an oasis in a desert. My eyes, yawned by the sun poking into my eyes and I realized that I was back in my house; my old jacketed

We arose early in the morning, even before the sun broke the horizon, to catch our flight to spend two life changing weeks in the country of Nicaragua. As I struggled to keep my eyes open, I began to prepare for my longest journey away from home. I did not realize what I was getting myself into as my dad drove racing against the clock. We then reached the airport. I was received by a gush of cold air exceeding from the airport lobby. We

The very next week I was ready to experience what it’s like being in another country with different customs and culture. July 3 the day was finally here, I grabbed my suitcase and met with my grandma and we got ready for our flight. As I board the airplane, I had butterflies in my stomach. I think to myself “Wow this is really happening”. A few minutes past by and we take off. The take off was probably the greatest part of the flight, I wasn’t scared or nervous I was having so much fun. After 6-7 hours of being on a plane we finally land in Guatemala City. Leaving the airport everything gets my attention. Kids on the street playing soccer, buildings all next to each other, and color everywhere. I smell different foods from left to right, I'm amazed at everything, it's something I’ll never

The struggle of getting up at 3 am was unbearable after the events which had taken place last night. I had no energy what so ever, yet I knew the events about to occur were to be bewildering. Our tour guide sat us all down and explained to us what would happen and all of the risks and procedures. Excitement was running through my veins. We all hopped into a spacious coach which would be taking us on a 6 hour journey to the beach of Cancun. Although the air in the coach was extremely heavy, I managed to catch up on a few hours of sleep. Before I knew it, we had arrived. Cancun beach, the extravagancy of the view I had been looking at was unbearably beautiful. Nothing could beat it. The sun had started to rise. The few rare clouds in the sky

It was the last day of my trip, and while I was washing plates in my grandmother’s house, the sunlight was reflected on the plates to my eyes. The fear going through my veins, my mind confused with everything that have happened two weeks ago. Uncertainty of what event would destroy or rebuild my heart. What would happen next ?. The future is unpredictable, so far that is a concept that now I understand. Considering the time spent in my country Colombia , vacations, friends, and parties were the words that stay on my mind for the first two weeks, otherwise the next two weeks were not what I planned. Firstable I was not supposed to be there for these last two weeks, but I am grateful. “No puedes viajar hoy” were the words asserted by the airline