Welcome back.

Today was what I was hoping for on my week off. I cried (yes, again), I remembered, I wrote the seed thoughts of a great song, I spent time at the ocean (Huntington Beach is amazing), saw a movie,“The Interpreter” by myself (I enjoy that in days like today), and am reading some great books (“Blue Like Jazz” and “Divided by Faith”.

30 years ago, I came to 843 Raymond Ave to live with my grandmother in her 1 bedroom apartment, she slept on the sofa bed in the living room, while she gave me the bedroom. I was 6 years old. (L, Raymond Ave. currently)

I went back there today and took pictures of Raymond Ave, the street I grew up on. Thank you abuelita for raising me and taking me to school and showing me how to be a young man. I was there for you until the very last breath of your life, because you were there for me every day of your life. I owe you everything.

The picture on the left is the street I used to play on. I used to see my friends ride their bikes up and down this street all day long. I lived on Raymond Ave. for almost 20 years.

Tuesday of this week, I helped our girl Canela (6) learn to ride her bike without training wheels. She’s got it, she was so ready! (R, Canela on our street).

So there I was, watching Canela go up and down our street on her bike and I started to make the connections. I was six when I first came to Raymond Ave, she is now six. Gramma created a safe environment so I could enjoy riding my bike up and down Raymond Ave. Now I am the one creating a safe place for Canela to ride her bike and make friends on our street. This is now her dream, her memories, and I get to be for Canela what abuelita was to me.

I was overwhelmed. While at my old street, I broke down and cried for 20-30mns. I hope no one called the cops on me! Can you imagine, “Officer, there’s a strange man in a truck with a camera crying outside my door!” What a scene that could have been.

These pictures mean the world to me. They show me:

CONNECTION – LIFE – CIRCLE – GRACE AND MERCY – JOY and TEARS.

GROWING UP…

LIFE ENDING, LIFE IS JUST BEGINNING. AGAIN.

Into the future…

davidT