I believe Dylan is the Angel who brought me back to Baja, when at the age of
twenty one, I had decided: construction was not for me and went to San Miguel de
Allende to study Art. We lived there twice when I was a child; it was a dream
of mine to return, follow in my father’s footsteps and enroll in La Bellas
Artes. The day before my departure, I found out I was pregnant with Dylan. I
still went to San Miguel de Allende, dragged my morning sick nauseas body out of bed and up the stairs of Las Bellas Artes every week day. One month of living there, studying art. I knew I would return to Baja and raise Dylan here.
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| The name Dylan is Welsh and means: born near the Sea Angel, his middle name, is for a dear friend of my mother's, who lived in San Miguel de Allende. |
When my son
turned seventeen, I felt like a truck of bricks was dropped on me. The reality of
our time together, under the same roof, in the context of mother and child-no
longer a child, made me reflect on his life, here at home. I remembered, with
regret, in the pit of my stomach, the mistakes I had made as a young mother; the
times he said, let’s go to the beach! And I didn’t make the time or effort
because I was working or tired. Still, there’s always time for a few minutes at
the beach; we live here. I wondered how I could be so blind; not take advantage of times he wanted with me; remembered his early teen years. A time he didn’t want to be with me. All the questions came roaring in. What had I taught him; was it enough; had
I/we prepared him for graduating and life after; the doubts and questions ran
on. Then I stopped and thought: what if I look at him, see him for who he is
today. And when I did, I saw a kind, talented, intelligent, present young man.
I realized, it wasn’t all about me, but about him; who he is now and who he will
become. He will have his own experiences in life; his own way of learning what
he needs for his path and his lifestyle or styles of choice. I realized that to
criticize my parenting skills harshly felt like criticizing my son. He
doesn’t deserve that; he deserves recognition, support and encouragement to
help him continue taking one step after the other, walking through threshold after threshold.
Trust, as he continues on in life, he will have time to aquire the wisdom, skills and
preparation he needs for his journey, minute to minute, day by day.
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| After Tropical Storm Lidia, Arroyo Buenos Aires transformed. |
In a few
months, he will turn twenty after studying Graphic Design in Cabo for the last
year. We have been to San Miguel de Allende twice as a family. Dylan talks
about going back. I hope he does; I can see in his eyes, he feels a connection to that remarkable colonial city and family tradition.
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| Dylan's High School Graduation, 2016...Los Barriles, Baja California Sur |
Javier
joined our company, that same year and the month I was in San Miguel de Allende. I remember the phone booth and corner I was standing on, May 25th, when my mom shared the good news. Javier arrived, offering relief
and new life to a work place heavy with the energy of our previous partner, gone one year later. For the first five years Javier and I worked
side by side, the only light of truth I understood was: every time I opened the
door to our office and saw his face, his smile, I felt seen and knew everything
was going to be okay.
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| Dylan and his sister, Paloma...Oaxaca 2009 A year after our daughter was born, Javier adopted Dylan and gave him his last name. Once, my mom asked Dylan if he missed his dad and he answered: no, I see him every day. |
I followed my heart to Baja over twenty years ago, and
then followed my heart to Ireland last year. So far, my heart has not led me
astray; I continue to trust its lead.
I make
plans, draw plans, create schedules, and follow schedules. I also change plans,
schedules and deviate when another inspiration, that is better, presents
itself. Everything changes: no school today... but it wasn’t on the schedule! Plans
are outlines, ideas; they put thoughts into a place to help guide us along.
Plans create structure. But life, the day to day, month after month and years
passing; if we look up from our plans and our schedules – sometimes chosen and
often not – there is an opportunity to see wider and deeper than the western
linear line of time. Celtic Tradition offers the concept of circular time. The
Mexican Culture also offers a beautiful mindset: Poco a Poco.
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| Vacation comes to an end. Time to return to lands end for a new quarter. |
Healing Winds, the center, was born and named in 2013. Javier has been here for every minute of every day, from its first lines on paper as a yoga studio in 2009, to the refreshing coat of paint today. He is a rock of unwavering support. From that moment, the two us sat in our tin panga, looking back at the shoreline, eating our sandwiches and I said, I want to build a yoga studio and he said, OK; he has not doubted this vision once; not even the countless times when I didn’t understand why I felt so strongly about its creation and existence.
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| Healing Winds during construction...Javier crafted the long pencil I used to fine tune the outline of the overhang. He also indulged me by taking this picture. |
When I look back on the past twenty years and take a breath, right here, right now, where my feet rest on Baja ground, I know in my heart, body, mind and soul – I couldn’t have planned for my life to turn out the way it is right now. I have trusted my heart and gut, for as long as I can remember. I am grateful for every experience and wisdom gained through living life the way I do. Ultimately, for me, the greatest teacher of all is Life itself. Personal experience is something no one can give to you or take away. An experience lasts for as long as it does; then it changes, like everything does. My experience and learning; what I choose to take with me, minute to minute, day by day; or leave behind - those decisions reside within me; the responsibility and accountability; also live within. I choose not give authority to another for my happiness or unhappiness. I struggle and feel challenged by work and family, just like everyone does. I am human. I am alive. I have choices. One of the biggest choices I have made is to live with gratitude. I believe that faith leads to grace and gratitude leads to blessing. I feel blessed beyond my wildest imagination; I get to live a life I love.
Javier is present, wise, unwavering, doesn’t explain much or need much explained to
him; he respects each life as individual. He works hard, provides, loves and to
me is a picture of presence and love. The listening skills and patience of this man are unparalled. He checks in regularly on his mom. And my mom. Makes me coffee every morning. Goes to the office, job sites, up, down and all around. Hikes for hours in the desert and works his heart out creating a place of quiet for us, an empty nest for years to come, on a piece of land that has been in his family for generations.
Twenty years, working side by side with Javier; almost twenty years since Dylan was born.
Dylan came into the world, true to himself; Javier embodies that same kind of wisdom.
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| Javier and Dylan in Cabo 2016...just getting settled after moving into his first apartment. |
I have been blessed to know great men in my life.
These two are my heroes.
Minute to minute.
Day by day.
Tehroma
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