An army of colors

One of my favorite things to do (as you must know by now) is to write! but I also love taking on other projects, like drawing (which I am really not good at but I keep trying) or finding different magazine articles or pictures and pasting them on boards or doing picture collages of everyone I love.... all these I think I do with the idea of letting my inner artistic side come out and play... it doesn’t always turn out so good though, I tend to give up half way through, realizing I am not that artistic or creative after all...but other times I finish them and display them and sometimes even grow the courage to share them (my mom is one of my best/worse critics, she also agrees drawing isn’t my forte, and doesn’t understand why at 27 years old one would find pleasure in cutting pictures and gluing them on my agendas or posters, or coloring...or buying a ton of stickers and making my own thank-you cards)but then I say... HEY! Life is short and we are blessed to be here as it is, every minute counts so we mind as well make them worth it, do as you please, whatever it is, so long as you keep your soul smiling!!! This is one is for me.

I found this picture online today, and the funny thing is I have seen it before, but I can’t remember where... Lately I have seen it a lot... and then just now I paused for a second and asked my self, what does this picture represent? What is the meaning behind each of these colors? And the first thing that came to my mind was MY FRIENDS!

I am such a lucky girl to have the friends I have, I really am!

Here is a little insight into my life:

Growing up, I used to always consider my grandmother my best friend. Later in life when I started kindergarten and all the kids would have their own best friend their same age, I started feeling a little left out so I had to leave my grandma on the side (without her knowing of course) and had to go on the hunt for a real BEST FRIEND! That is when May came into my life. She was a sweet tiny little thing, she had (and still has) a beautiful radiant smile and the cutest little hands! We became friends instantly, I don’t remember exactly how, but it just happened! From one day to another her mom was already coming over to my house to ask for permission to take us out to ice-cream or for me to come over and play and in return my mom would also do the same. We had fun, lots of fun, together! One of my fondest memories of those days was how we used to hold hands when crossing the roads, it was like a human instinct, lets hold hands and be there for each other no matter what, and to this day I feel the same way!

After May left Havana because her parents decided to change sceneries, I struggled to find another super best friend like her. I had friends, and once in a while we would play together but it never felt the same. Years went by, I started high school and became friendlier and had no trouble finding people to always be around, but none of them were considered best friends...

Then came the ISH (International School of Havana) and that’s when trouble really kicked in, imagine! Now these kids didn’t even speak the same language as me, so how in the world was I going to make friends? Somehow luck stroke again and suddenly I was surrounded by potential best friends ready to take on the quest! There it was where Ida, Renata and Joelle came into my life.

Ida was everything but shy... she was wild and sexy, way ahead of my time (I am a late bloomer I must confess) but she had the biggest heart in the world, once you came to really know her there was no way you could ever leave her sight. Now, years later I am so grateful we manage to stay in touch, she lives in Norway and is studying to become the best Dr in the world and lives happily with her super hunk of a boyfriend Mr. Henrik! Renata was the life of the party, she taught me never to be afraid to show myself... to be who I am no matter what! She may not know this but the years we shared have forever remained in my heart and I still to this day keep all our journals. She is now on her way to become a dancer, she dances beautifully and expresses every feeling she has through her movements…its incredible to watch. I hope one day I get to see her again dancing live. Joelle, well, she is one of a kind. She was a very shy girl, and somehow I think I contributed to helping her come out of her shell and she has now blossomed, or let me rephrase (with all respect) still blossoming to become a great woman one day. I would always keep her close to my heart and I like to think of her as my first MEXICAN best friend...!

As you can well see (or read) by now, I am nothing short but friendly!! =) and I find it very easy to make friends, but true friends are hard to find, they have something that touches you in a special way and life just doesn’t seem the same without them, at least that is how I feel.

This new chapter of my life, the one that I started writing when I arrived in Canada 10 years ago has many chapters still to be read but I am very proud to say that like the others it has come filled with amazing friends! Oh! Where do I start!? They are all so very special, it would be hard to put in words how much they all mean to me and how my life has become richer every second we have spent together. All I can do is be grateful, forever thankful to have each and every one of them share this amazing journey that is life together. Like the picture, all my friends represent a different color in my life and together they make an amazingly beautiful radiant rainbow that I couldn’t live without. My life would have never been the same without them and I would have definitely not have become who I am today if it wasn’t for them. They have each literally planted seeds of love and hope in my heart that has grown immensely and become and amazing colorful garden that we will each enjoy for the rest of our lives. The experiences we share, the love and tender care, its hard to describe, hard to translate... its pure joy! It is pure energy and pure love.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! is all I have to give and all I have received from each and everyone of them... been your friend has been the most precious gift and I promise to keep you all in my heart for as long as I shall live. In my heart you will safe, always protected, I will color with each and every one of you the days of life from until forever.

Thank you. Thank you for been such amazing friends who inspire me every day, who give me reason to smile and to be a better person and a better friend every day.

You are all my army of colors, my army of love; with you by my side I can conquer the world!

Cheers to you, to your true colors and to love!!