Back Home But Not From Where I belong

I left China last Friday, that's why I did not have the time to write here. I left China and I feel a part of me stayed there, it feels weird. It was a very long trip, from the moment we left the Hospital until we got home, took some twenty nine hours. It was a little over two hours to go from Hangzhou to Shanghai where we flew thirteen and a half hours to Atlanta, Georgia. We had a three-hour layover in Atlanta, which turned into five because they had to close the airport due to very bad weather around the area; a very long day after all.

I got home at around 2AM but I was able to sleep during the long flight so it didn't feel that bad. In any case, 2AM here in Miami, but my body was already set to the far away eastern time zone, so it was really 2PM. I was a bit worried that it was going to be hard to go to sleep, but I worked around it and it just went fine.

When I got home, the first thing I saw was beautiful bottle of an eighteen-year old Buchanans, my favorite scotch, which my beloved brother Guillermo had left for me as a welcome gift. As you might recall, I only had a few beers during my trip (and may I say, terrible Chinese beer) so the small detail turned into a big surprise. Simple things my friends, simple things. After setting up all the luggage inside the house, I poured some over ice, no water, just ice, and enjoyed the amazing moment while relaxing and thinking about my past thirty days. It felt weird; I felt weird. There was a very strange mood around me, even the air smelled different. I kept thinking about China, with my eyes closed, and thanked for having such a wonderful opportunity. I realized how different this journey had been, but not because of the purpose of the trip, that is just obvious, but how it had changed me. And change is a process, a very complicated one, so everything that is going through my mind is completely opposite to what I expected. My mind is taking long and complex shifts, not even knowing what is it that I really want. But so I read, it is completely normal and expected and it should be OK in time, just more patience and it will come.

It is obvious that the first thing I did when I woke up (and after taking a shower of course) was to run and pick up my kids which I missed so badly. I felt the urgent need to see them, hug them kiss them. I missed them so much it was starting to bother me, but after some forty eight minutes driving, I got to do all that! The very next thing would be to grab some lunch, after all I had not eaten for a long time. So I met Guillermo my brother at our favorite restaurant, Graziano's of Coral Gables, an Argentinian steak house comparable to none and we all had lunch. There, I satisfied some other important needs I have missed for so long; a perfect cut Vacío (Argentinian Imported Flank Steak) which cannot be left out without a perfect Muga Reserva (a Rioja, red wine from Spain) to go with it. It was a meal I cherished from the moment I left, and I got to enjoy it so much and in such good company. The third thing I missed very much as well was my office, and that I get to do this Monday; maybe you don't get me, but I can't wait to go work!

Now that we are back, we have to play the waiting game. According to the doctors, we will see some improvement on Marujita after three months following the treatment, so patience is required. I am pretty sure everything will go as planned, but obviously you always want things to happen now, no waiting. So I will follow some of the principles I studied while in China, and I will live the moment and not worry about the future. I will remember China as one of the things that made an impact on my life, and I will enjoy those memories because they are nothing but good. A dream of happiness my dad would say, and tomorrow, a vision of hope.

I am extremely grateful to everybody and I cannot thank you enough for all your messages of optimism and hope. I was there alone, physically yes, but thanks to you I felt surrounded of your good and positive spirit and that is more than any human being can ask for. I kept thinking on the purpose of the trip and some words kept coming to mind. My beautiful mother always had to say this, but in Spanish, so I don't know if it will make much sense: the worst effort is that which you do not make. And it is so true, we just have to move, to shake our world, to go out and do it. Period.

I will leave you for know, I have to prepare breakfast for the kids who are very particular at this important meal. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, orange juice, the works! I will see you soon, love you unconditionally, always and forever.

Tuto.38