bless me, ultima

Without a doubt my favorite thing we read this semester was Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima.  We read a lot of interesting pieces these past few months but when I began reading Bless Me, Ultima I was immediately sucked in; for me that's a significant statement.  I've never been much of a reader, in fact I've been nothing of a reader and that's kind of sad.  I love the idea of reading, I love book stores and new books but it has always been a challenge for me to get into the story, focus and read a whole book.  With Bless Me, Ultima I was nothing less than captivated.

There was a few elements about this novel that combined in just the right way and made me love it.  I spent all of my mission in El Paso and around the Mexico-New Mexico-Texas boards.  I was surrounded by Chicanos one hundred percent of the time and I loved it.  I think my love for those people and my love for that land had a big impact on my attitude towards this book.  So much of Bless Me, Ultima has to do with the land and our relationship with it.  Every time I read about the earth and the scenery I could see it perfectly because I had been there.

The story of Antonio, his family and Ultima is amazing; it's not only mysterious and magical but meaningful.  Through these characters you learn a great deal about origins, balance, family, faith, loyalty and sacrifice.  I think these principles and ideas are Latin America.  The lessons taught through these people and their experiences embody what we've studied this whole semester.  The history and culture of Latin America is deep and rich and can't be understood in fifteen weeks; I would venture to say it can't be fully understood in a life time.  But I feel, Bless Me, Ultima reveals the roots of Latin America and what it means to be Latin American.

random expressions of generosity

Throughout the film Under the Same Moon, nine year old Carlos Rayes relies on the kindness and mercy of strangers to help him complete his journey from Mexico to Los Angeles.  The clip above is just one of many instances where Carlitos is fortunate enough to be the beneficiary of random  generosity.  Whether it was getting a ride or a job or being saved from an attacker, Carlitos was constantly being helped and protected.  Although he made the trip on his own, Carlitos was continually helped along the way.

Recently Coca-Cola put out a commercial that relates well to the experiences of Carlitos. The commercial is a compilation of security footage displaying people going out of their way to do something kind. When we think of security cameras we often envision people caught committing crimes and that is what makes this commercial so great; these people are caught being nice.  From pushing a stalled car to giving a hug, these people are acting out of compassion and without second guessing. This commercial doesn't necessarily move me to buy a Coke but it does inspire something within me.

As young Carlitos Rayes made his way to Los Angeles, I couldn't help but be amazed by the support he received from complete strangers.  Movies like Under the Same Moon and videos like the Coke commercial are refreshing because we see the best in people.  Some acts of kindness require sizable effort but most do not. The people who helped Carlitos on his journey could not have understood the impact of their kindness. The woman who gave him food and place to sleep or the men who gave him a ride were acting in the moment and without thought of the lasting affect they would have.  Would Carlitos have made it to Los Angeles without those timely expressions of generosity? I don't think so. We never know when our random act of kindness will make all the difference.

blood runs thick

"That's right, I add before Lucy or Rachel can make fun of her.  She is stupid alright, but she is my sister."

(Cisneros, The House on Mango Street, p.50)

The things we are willing to say or do for our loved ones can be remarkable.  Sometimes our actions are heroic and sometimes they're just silly.  When push comes to shove sibling are their to protect each other.  This weeks quote, from Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street, provides us with great example of what it means to look out for a sibling.  Esperanza, her younger sister Nenny and two friends are out jumping rope and discussing the functions of female hips.  Nenny makes the silly comment that if a girl never develops substantial hips she will turn into a man. As bizarre and daft as this statement is, Esperanza quickly agrees to save her sister from being teased.

Why do we protect our siblings?  The answer lies in our blood.  There is a phrase that states, "blood runs thicker than water." This saying isn't a reference to the viscosity of water versus blood but rather a firm reason to protect ones family.  What is the physical difference between blood and water?  Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen and thats all there is to it.  Blood on the other hand contains life.  Blood caries our genes and what makes us who we are.  The blood that runs in our veins ties us to our family because our blood is their blood.  There is no physical or symbolic equivalent to blood.

Shared blood creates a unique connection between siblings.  The same roots, traits and history are found within siblings.  Surly Esperanza isn't pondering these ideas while jumping rope but that's not the point.  The connection Esperanza has with her sister is instinctive.  She may not understand why siblings care for each other but she knows that they do. The flow of blood or expression of genes isn't something we force--it just happens. Whether it's keeping a secret or getting in a fight siblings look out for each other because they are a part of each other.  There is a lot that makes up our blood and the only people we share that with is our family.