On Saturday my Abuelito passed away. When I heard the news, I was sad… but then I realized that I had taken his dream into my hands, and now I am running with it. now, I can think about him and smile a little bit. I think that’s how he wanted it to be.
Back in the Sixties, my Abuelito and his wife moved from Mexico to California with their kids. Why? So that they could have the education he never had the opportunity to complete. As a young boy, he gave up schooling for work. As a result, he never made it past the second grade. He had a great respect for education, and never wanted his children to miss out on it. So, he started out fresh in the States, because he loved his children so much and wanted them to have success. Not just any success– the noble and beautiful success that only comes from learning as much as you can.
Moving was hard. It was a sacrifice. He lived in a strange land, with a language he didn’t understand. He didn’t let that stop him, though. He worked hard every single day of his life so that his children could make it. That is real love. My uncles, aunt, and mother, in turn worked hard to achieve success in the academic world. Though it was not easy, they all made it to college and beyond. With children of their own, they have taught us that it’s not so much asking for what you want, it’s working for it. It’s dreaming big and running for it, not just because it’s fun or cool, but because somewhere along the road, it will count for something bigger than ME.
So, that brings me to now. The past six months of my life have been less than normal. Less than easy. But still, I move forward. Why? Because a long time ago someone sacrificed so much for the lives of their children and those to come after. Someone taught me not to take my education for granted. Someone taught me that hard work is what gets you places. That someone was very proud of me and everything I have done.
[RACHEL]
Over Christmas break, my dad asked me to find him a song so that he could dance with my mom (they are so in love…). He wanted Sea of Love, by the Honeydrippers. Because I had the iTunes account, I bought it for him. I couldn’t help but notice that Cat Power had covered it, and that it was quite popular. So, I checked it out and was automatically sucked in by Chan Marshall’s bare, enchanting vocals supported by nothing more than an autoharp. I know, sounds strange, but seriously. I don’t know how else to explain it other than it being romantically chilling. And I think that’s why I like it. It’s love. It’s beautiful, but it’s also painful, and sometimes it’s lonely.
It’s up on their myspace… go check it out 
[RACHEL]
