Happy Mother's Day!

I see the shot glass half full

I remember how often I was told that I always look happy. Some people even sounding a bit annoyed by my smurfette smile and my la la lala laaa attitude. Although I don't think I have changed much. I do find myself not smiling as much as I used to. Reading the study on happiness, who is happier and why; I found once again the dreaded fact that married people on a whole are much happier than the unmarried. I am the unmarried but this still does not make me want to sprint to the altar. Nonetheless, I can't help but to ponder....what makes me happy? Do blondes really have more fun? Especially when I read in the Pew Research Center that only 34% of adults in this country state they are very happy. Happiness is.... a good nights rest, a prayer answered, knowing that a higher power exists and He loves me unconditionally... the birth of my daughter and having her latch on to my breast for the first time, staying up all night talking to my bestfriend Liz, being a nurse and helping those who need help the most...an extra shot of henessey in my homemade nutcracker, some rice and beans and pork chops, salsa music, mi Abuela Cato standing in her porch doorway as we drove up from the airport, my Dad's laughter, my Mom taking care of me when I had oral surgery, my cat purrrrrring next to me, a long sweet passionate kiss...with or without long sweet passionate lovemaking, my new clogs, working up a sweat on the treadmill, making the last payment on my student loan, watching the Brazilian dancers at Mangos in South Beach...hottttt, hanging out with Jaz, a sale at Target, going to a concert, dancing naked in my living room, running along the shore of Cheriopoli beach trying to outrun the rain, my brother telling me he is impressed and proud of me, loving and being loved in return. What makes you happy?

a real boricua

Microphone check, one - two...sorry was that black? I've been accused of "acting black" whatever that means. This accusation took place during a chat session with an individual I hadn't met yet. Needless to say, I blocked him. Bamm! Holy ignoramus Batman! Robin, I will immobilize him with my batbelt stupidity blocker. Zap! "You would make a black man very happy. I'm going to look for a real boricua!", he further commented. Oops, double zap!! Take that you culturally insensitve *%#@^&(! I'm teaching a cultural sensitivity training for home attendants and I attempt to define some terms. Culture is the distinctive life/way of a people united by a common language and by rules and models for their beliefs and behavior. Cultural sensitivity is the ability to be open to learning about and accepting of different cultural groups. I was treated poorly because I am part of the hip-hop culture. I love many types of music and among them is rap music. It is a difficult spot I share with many which is being in between. Not accepted here not validated there. Place your check in the box marked other; wanting to be defined yet figuring out that you are undefinable. Mariposa said it the best in her poem titled Ode to Diasporican, "...what does it mean to be in between, what does it take to realize being Boricua is a state of mind, a state of heart, a state of soul. Mira! No naci en Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico nacio en mi..." What did he mean by a real Boricua? I could only feel sorrow for the narrow-mindedness of my fellow Puertorriqueno. I had to get past the shock of the fact that he judged me solely on my taste in music. Free your mind my brother! He told me about his best-friend who was murdered in a hip-hop club at the age of 16. Ah-ha, holy projection Batman. Low cultural sensitivity is associated with auhoritarian personalities and also with narrow and limited experience of the world. "...Mira mi cara puertorriquena, mi pelo vivo, mis manos morenas, mira a mi corazon que se llena de orgullo,y dime que no soy Boricua..." Call me what you wish but I will continue to be me, not a real boricua but simply real.