A Christmas Dinner!

                           Christmas Tree in San Francisco, Ca


Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!. This year we ( me and my husband) had a different experience in the Christmas since we were invited for dinner from a family from Guatemala. well I was a bit grump about attending the dinner since I knew that we were the only outsider. But the thing is the person who invited  us to attend his family Christmas dinner was very persuasive. So I don't want to disappoint him and managed to motivate myself to visit his family. the family had a tragedy just three month ago before Christmas. They lost their youngest brother in an accident. That's another reason which motivates me to visit the family since I can at least support them in their terrible time.

The family have four sons and two daughters and their kids and the mom who is seventy-nine year old. Its a lovely family. All my hesitation disappears the moment I steeped in to the house and hugged by the mom. I fit right-in like her own daughter. My bad is I do not understand Spanish and obviously I should not expect mom to know English since she has been visited to her sons from Guatemala for 6 month. but Its seems like I got couple of volunteer translates right away (including kids). Each and every family member talked about the brother they lost. They show us his favorite place in his house, his passion...and almost everything about him they remember the exact time in last Christmas he got home from work. how he was a part of their heart. And now...he is not here.

The only thing after having dinner interests kids most is unwrapping their gifts. Usually they exchange gifts among all cousins. As, they are feeling the heavy atmosphere of the house and also have been noticing their uncle Rafael is crying whom they never saw crying, but still they are bringing the Christmas charm on their face.

Its Christmas! well, the singing, cooking, eating and crying like chorus or a bit like spices of life. I could not stop myself crying. next day morning I was bit down in my usual mood. I forced myself to plan for a visit to local Fry's store for a camera I was thinking to replace or even a visit to Lake Tahoe for New Year Eve.  But nothing seemed like working. Took a deep breadth and thought what is  life anyway? Its about living in the planet or living in the memories of loved one?.

Hope you all have a lovely New Year!