Hi! I’m a 59-year-old grandma of two awesome grand kids. Of course, I also have three adult kids: 2 boys and one girl. The girl being the ham of the sandwich. (I like to say! Ha!)
I was a teacher for 20 years in the public school system in Puerto Rico. Now, I am back in New York where I was born. That’s right, I’m a New Yorker! Born in St. Vincent’s Hospital to Puerto Rican parents as first generation of my family. And proud of it too! Three months before my sweet 16th birthday (which I never had) I moved to the northwest part of Puerto Rico where I finished high school.
Graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with my first bachelor’s degree in Education, Teaching English as a Second Language to Spanish Speakers – Secondary level in 1983. (What a mouthful! But that’s the title. It is what it is!)
My second bachelor’s degree is in Business Administration with emphasis in Information Technology with electives in Modern Art in 2012 which I completed at Atlantic College University in Puerto Rico.
I left teaching, to pursue other interests and to care for my Mom with breast cancer. I wanted to spend more time with her. She left for her celestial home at the end of 2013.
Presently, I live with my husband in upstate New York, where we have been living for the last 6 ½ years.
Last, but not least important, I have had wonderful lifelong experiences of faith which have led me through some difficult times. God has made himself present in my life whether I knew it or not. At times, it was barely noticeable. In other instances, it was a more direct presence.
I am on a journey that will lead me somewhere. I still don’t know where yet. It started with my entrance into this world long ago. When I think about it, I can’t believe that 59 years later, I find myself writing these words.
Someone told me a few years ago that the days are long, but the years are short. It made a lasting impression in my brain that I share those words with others because when you think about it – it’s true!
For some time (maybe years), I have wanted to write down my passage through Life, you know, leave a written legacy that will last forever (I hope). Please don’t moan. I will do my best to make it light and fluffy!
I want to share some of my experiences which have inspired me to seek God’s presence in everyday living.
After all these years, I have come to the conclusion that Life can be compared to a jigsaw puzzle. Different moments of life are like the puzzle pieces that fit together to form a picture.
During this journey of my life, I will search for the different “puzzle pieces” that will be connected to produce a picture or a result. That result is me!
Why A Blog?
— First of all, it’s trending on social media.
— The blog lets me connect to a global audience.
— Anyone can connect with me to share ideas and stories.
— I can do it from anywhere.
— The blog, I believe, can provide me various platforms to share with. (Videos, pictures, written work, the arts, etc.)
— No wait time: A suggestion is made by someone or I think up of something and boom! There it is on the blog right away!
BUT SERIOUSLY, THE REAL REASON?
It’s a medium I can use to explore my life– past-present-future –and connect it all to find me. Maybe the “me” I find is already “found”. Maybe the “me” I find is not what I expect at this time. On the other hand, maybe the “me” I’m looking for is still out of my reach.
I won’t know until I try, give it my best, and see if it works out. If it does, great! A bonus! If it doesn’t, I stop and move on to something else. It’s a lot better than constantly asking myself and wondering – What if…?
Why: This Life’s a Puzzle!
— I like the two perspectives I can use with the word puzzle:
Life is like a jigsaw puzzle with all kinds of moments connected together making up a person’s life.
Life can be puzzling with events that makes you wonder: why is this happening?
— Have you noticed that many different experiences happen everyday? All these experiences add up to make you who you are today! (At least that’s the theory!)
— I want to share how my “puzzle” has been completed up to now. What makes me who I am. What “pieces” are still missing.
— I propose an experiment to divide my life into “puzzle pieces”, to dissect my life in such a way that I can figure out which experiences influenced me. Then piece them together again. Does that make sense?
— I invite you to join me on this journey and share yours. Together we can figure it out.
— In the meantime, since there are many sides to a person’s Life (or puzzle), I will focus for now with sharing the following “pieces” of Life (adding more as I go…):
Faith strengthened throughout my life by living experiences of God’s presence in everyday living.
Wisdom obtained through the years lived up to now.
Track my journey in a way that it can connect to my present.
— Please bare with me! It’s the first time I embark on this kind of journey (or experiment). It will be open to modifications or changes if necessary.
— Remember, I’m just putting it out there. You decide whether to take it or leave it. The decision is yours to make. This might sound funny, but if this journey that we’re about to embark together can help us to discover something about ourselves, whether it’s big or small, it will have been worth the time spent together!
Please join me to search the puzzle pieces that fit together. Pieces that make up the bigger picture of our lives.
Don’t forget to see also: Welcome to my Blog!, and Why Read my Blog?
See you later further down wherever our journey takes us!