The Healing Power of Books and Music

Books and music have a quiet but profound ability to heal. Through them, emotions and thoughts can be steadied, grief and longing given a place to go. Music, in particular, allows feelings to surface without needing words, while books open doors to worlds beyond our immediate reality. I was fortunate to have a father who […]

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Another Year

Another year disappears behind me, unnoticed, unceremonious.Once again, my family and I trace our hopes and dreams onto paper, as if naming them might keep them from slipping away. This year, I offer less.No plans. No striving.Only being—and the fragile hope that it will be enough. Time is a human illusion, a construct we cling […]

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How I miss thee

I ruminate a lot, perhaps too much. Lately, especially after turning sixty, I find myself looking back to my childhood, my teenage years, and during this Christmas season, to those little-big moments with my dad, my abuelita, and my nieces and nephews, whom I can hardly believe have grown so grown. I remember when Christmas […]

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Farewell Eyes

People often ask, “What’s the point?” But the answer shifts with time and age. At 60, I’ve come to realize that I now think in terms of “last times.”The last time I might go on a date.The last time I’ll hike 20 kilometers.The last time I’ll feel confident wearing a sleeveless top. A growing list […]

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Learning to Stay

What one can achieve in sobriety is deeply personal; it looks different for everyone. For me, the emotional challenges were far more difficult than the physical ones. Alcohol gave me a false sense of self. I felt free, uninhibited, as if I had finally broken the chains of shyness and insecurity. But that freedom was […]

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The Vanishing Self: Lessons from Sixth Grade

As a teacher, I’ve chosen to teach both sixth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, a deliberate decision rooted in understanding the delicate nature of adolescent development. Sixth grade represents a unique, precious moment of human potential—a time of unbridled authenticity that, sadly, often diminishes too quickly. In sixth grade, students embody a remarkable spirit. They are […]

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Hopes, dreams, and resolutions

As I reflect on the speeding passage of time, I’ve noticed a shift in my yearly resolutions, hopes, and dreams. This isn’t a negative development; it signifies that I’ve either achieved those aspirations or some have lost their significance. Time provides a valuable perspective on life. I had an extensive list of goals and self-improvement […]

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