We have given great thought to the naming of each little miracle that has come to grace our lives.  So, when the fifth grade social studies  teacher  wanted  students to write an essay about their each person’s given name I relished with anticipation some quality time with my daughter.  I told my daughter I had created a document that explained her name to our friends and family on occasion of her baptism 10 years ago.  Back then, we had faced quite a bit of pressure to change the name. “Why Olaia? ” “They are going to tease her?” ” It’s uncommon, they wont know how to spell it or how to say it.” ” It sounds like ola or hola.” And some of these warnings did come true. But Olaia is Olaia and today it clear she could be no other. Her name suits her just fine. I have created an  entry an entry with my original Spanish document with musings about the name.  Below you can read Olaia’s put the 10 year old dilemma to rest in her own words:

Hello my name is Olaia…..

My name comes from the Basque country. My mom and dad chose it when they lived in the Basque county and found out they were pregnant. They looked at many names on a list but in the end they thought Olaia was the prettiest. When you ask the people in the Basque country what my name means, many are not shure. But some people might say it means place of manufacturing. They will give you examples of last names for example: Olasagasti means a place where they take the apples and turn it into cider and Olaberría means a new workshop. The people from Cataluña believe Olaia comes from the name Eulalia.

Before there were newspapers stories were told out this little 12 year old girl called Eulalia. She lived in Cataluña 300 A.B. Back then the rulers were Romans and the Romans believed in many gods. It was against the law to be Christian. Eulalia believed in one God,our Father, and Jesus Christ. A judge called her to the court because Eulalia was converting many people. The judge was trying to convince Eulalia that believing in God and Jesus was wrong but she refused to deny God or Jesus. They argued for many weeks, but in the end the judge sentenced Eulalia to death.

The story of Eulalia was told by many people and slowly the name may have changed to Olaia.

When I think of my name I like the feeling of having a unique name. I also like my name because Eulalia. Eulalia was young like me but she was really courageous and wise.  I hope to be like her….but live a long life.

¿Qué hay en un nombre? Como muchos de ustedes ya saben, antes de elegir por fin el nombre de Olaia Kathryn hubo mucha contemplación de qué era lo que queríamos decir con su nombre. Olaia, hace eco del lugar, el País Vasco, donde por primera vez soñamos con tener, con la voluntad de Dios, una hija con quien compartir nuestras bendiciones. Su segundo nombre refleja la parte irlandesa de su rica y variada herencia cultural. Queríamos que los nombres de nuestra hija la inspiraran a ser una mujer determinada y creativa, capaz de sobreponerse a la adversidad. En nuestra búsqueda por descubrir la historia de estos nombres hemos aprendido lo siguiente:

Olaia

Olaia es un nombre vasco derivado de la raíz Ola, la cual se refiere a un lugar de manufactura, de creación, tradicionalmente un taller donde se trabajaba la madera. Olaia (Olaya or Olalla en español, Laia en Catalán) también es derivado del nombre griego Eulalia. Eu significa “bueno, favorable” y lalia proviene del verbo “hablar.” Junto el nombre connota a una persona elocuente, bien hablada, convincente. Santa Olaia se Conoce oficialmente en la Iglesia como Santa Eulalia de Mérida. Ella fue una mártir española del siglo IV. No está claro si la historia de Santa Eulalia de Barcelona en el siglo III hace referencia a la misma persona. Se cree que Eulalia, una niña de a penas 12 años, discutió fervorosamente con el juez Daciano de Mérida por obligar a los cristianos a adorar a falsos dioses según el edicto Diocletano. Aunque Eulalia entretuvo al juez por largo tiempo, por lo cual éste le felicitó, Eulalia rehusó negar a Cristo. Eulalia defendió su Fe con su vida. Su coraje y valentía inspiró a muchos historiadores, poetas y trovadores de la época, quienes llevaron noticia de la Fe de Olaia a tierras lejanas. Su día de fiesta en la Iglesia es el 10 de diciembre.

Kathryn

Kathryn es una versión contemporánea irlandesa del nombre inglés Catherine. El nombre es de origen griego, “Aikaterina“. Los romanos dieron el nombre por derivado de la palabra griega ‛‛katharos”, que significa “pureza” y por lo tanto escribieron el nombre Katharina. Santa Catherine Laboure, nació en 1806. A temprana edad entró a la comunidad de religiosas Hijas de la Caridad, en París, Francia. Tres veces en 1830 la Virgen María se le apareció a Catherine, quien entonces era una novicia de veinte y cuatro años. El 18 de julio, E tuvo la primera aparición de la en la casa de la madre superiora. Santa Catherine vio una mujer sentada a la derecha del santuario. Cuando Sta. Catherine se le acercó, la visitante celestial le dijo como actuar en tiempos de prueba, señalándole al altar como punto de toda consolación. Le prometió a Sta. Catherine darle una misión la cual le traería gran sufrimiento; la señora también predijo la revuelta anticlerical que ocurrió en París en 1870. El 7.7 de noviembre Nuestra Señora le enseñó a Sta. Catherine la medalla de la inmaculada concepción, conocida universalmente hoy día como la medalla milagrosa. Sta. Catherine de Alejandría, es una mártir, cuyo día de fiesta es el 7.5 de noviembre. Es la patrona de los filósofos y predicadores. Se cree que Sta. Catherine procedía de una familia noble de “ Alejandría. Se convirtió al cristianismo por medio de una visión. Denunció a Maxentio por perseguir a los cristianos. ¿ Maxentio le ofreció a Catherine matrimonio si ella negaba su Fe. Al negarse fue enviada a prisión. Durante una ausencia de Nlaxentio, Catherine convirtió a su esposa y a 200 de sus soldados. La ira de Maxentio contra Sta. Catherine paralela la ira del mundo frente a la verdad y la justicia. Sta. Catherine también fue una de las voces que Sta. Juana de Arco escuchó.

I remember very vividly the first time I met Uncle Gerry. We were not blood relatives, I was inheriting his acquaintance alongside many other aunts and uncles and cousins by virtue of being married to Jim. We were in at Mom’s house in St. Louis, Uncle Gerry and Aunt Jane and their two kids were visiting, as was I.  The kids were running around exploring the yard. Mom, Jane, Gerry and I were in the family room looking out at all the activity.  I mentioned to Gerry I was studying Anthropology and his quick reply was "My son Adam just loves dinosaurs. Well he even knows all the different periods and types of dinosaurs that walked the Earth."  I took a step back and admired the amazing love and pride for his son that poured out of this man. I thought to myself, I wanted that some day. My thoughts then quickly went back to the conversation as I added "Well you just might have an archeologist on your hands! It is a beautiful thing when one has a passion and a drive so early on." I could see the father entertaining that briefly before adding, "who knows?.."

Continue reading When love shines through →

I sat down to dinner with my children, a big hole was felt as the customary seat my husband fills was empty and dinner was mostly a quiet affair.  I usually don’t sleep well when he is not around – 14 years of marraige will do that, I guess.   I worry. Is he ok? I anticipate his arrival. I am simply off beat, slightly restless, looking for things to fill up my time till he returns.   Tonight I say a little prayer for us, I can’t bear to imagine his absence and hop I will find solace in his return soon.

Olaia is still thinking of our earlier conversation, “Mom I am so thankful I did not live in the time of the Nazi’s…” -Yes, the house has been in a somewhat somber mood – Olaia’s cousin Mariam had a clever English teacher invite children to carry out an extra credit project re-enacting parts of Anne Frank’s experience.  Intrigued by the challenge, Mariam has decided to take on the experiment adding the twist of having Olaia partake of it. Both girls are to be in a closed room with no technology on hand, in strict silence for 10 hours a day. Olaia thought at first it was some turn of the 18th Century reenactment, then I explained the terror and hardship endured by Anne Frank and her family.

“I am thankful too, Olaia. It was a dreadful moment to live and witness” I added. Olaia then chimed in a short lived confidence, “I am glad that doesn’t happen now. Why did they do that to the Jews?”  I explained her that her assertion was wrong. Why does not matter.  It could have been us.  It could have been any arbitrary made up group… that is what we have to remember. In fact, today, in Africa Christians are killed because they are not Muslim. Outright prejudice and violence is never justified.

I wanted our daughter to have something to hold on as she peered with me over the edge of the senseless abyss of human violence. So I added

“You have to remember what we believe: God loves us all, without need for justification. His love is a gift. But just as important, remember that bad things happen to good people all the time. Accidents, violence, no one ever deserves any such fate. This is not God’s plan. The question is what are we going to do, so long as we live to let his love shine through so us so we can be light and hope in this world.”

And as I finished the thought, I was reminded of one light that is no more. I prayed with my children for our cousins, for our aunt. Not too far removed from us, a husband, a father is absent, never to return.  My heart aches as I barely fathom what pain overwhelms the family.

In our house we have debated many times why we like Kung Fu Panda the movie – mind you, our son Javier has perfume by the same name so I clarify. To some, it might seem we have analyzed the movie beyond any screenwriters original intent. We probably have.  But then that is the nature of art. The artist’s intention is only one dimension of the work’s communicative power. So here are some of our Kung Fu Panda lessons:

1. Master Shifu acknowledges he cannot train Po like he did the others. – Teaching and training are not 1 size fits all.
2. After earning his dumpling, Po gives it up – Exercise is a natural appetite suppressant.
3. Po can do awesome kung fu when he is focused on food – We can achieve awesome results when we are singularly focused.
4. Shifu: Read it and become the dragon warrior ! Shifu knew the truth but did not understand it. He saw his apprenticeship as to Oogway as a right and privilege. Shifu understood that he would be the trainer of Warriors and, more importantly, the Dragon Warrior. Aware of his place in history, Shifu aimed to be judicious and metered out his sharing of Kung Fu.  He was strict and selective.  Shifu wanted to ensure the worthiness of the recipient of the magic held by the Dragon Scroll.
Shifu’s approach to training others shaped Tai Lung. Tai Lung was raised preparing for the next thing. Whatever he did it was not enough. He was always being trained so he could be worthy of the dragon scroll. This imprints Tai Lung with the acute message that he is not worthy as it is. He is waiting for external validation that never comes and is haunted by the void he feels inside. This void gave him insatiable rage and focus to earn or claim the dragon scroll. This rage was the key behind Tai Lungs outstanding Kungfu.
5. Po: (Trying to read while blinded by the reflection of the scroll) it’s blank? ! So Oogway was just a crazy old turtle – This is Po’s most difficult moment. His childish faith has been shattered.  Po goes home.  In this nurturing environment he is able to come to terms with his faith and understand it more fully.
6. Po’s father loves him,.this is easy to see to any parent. Po knows he is loved and will always have a place at home where he is needed and valued. This is captured consistently throughout the movie through Po’s Dad call out early on:  “Po! Your noodle cart!” and upon Po’s return and public failure. Po: Hey dad, Po’s Dad, Mr. ping: PO! Good to have you back son!   So for our next shop … Po’s Dad makes plans for him and his son. The Dad’s reaction is unchanged, Po’s Dad always has a future with Po in it, if Po chooses.
7. Po’s Dad, Mr. Ping: The secret ingredient is… nothing! You heard me, there is no secret ingredient! To make something special you just have to believe it to be special. Po: There is no secret ingredient? This exchange highlight the redeeming power of faith. Our faith in each other unlocks the power with each of us to transform the world.  Soup made with ordinary ingredients becomes an experience for the senses because of the attention, focus and love that are part of the process.  The “magic” is in how we do things. We have a choice to assist in transforming the world around us or living and dying in a banal and meaningless sequence of events.
8. Questions that we are inspired to ask after watching the movie: What do you love above all else? Do you dare be awesome? Who do you choose to be?
9. Tai Lung: Finally,  (upon seeing his reflection on the glistening scroll) It’s nothing! Note that when Po sees the Dragon Scroll he assumes the scroll for some error is suddenly blank. This contrasts Tai Lungs response, whom upon seeing his own reflection says he sees nothing. Tai Lung was expecting magic, and does not see his own value otherwise.
10. Tai Lung: The scroll has given him special powers! The Wuxi finger hold….skedoosh! – Your beliefs and you fears hold power over you.
11. Po looks to others like a dragon warrior even when he is looking ridiculous himself with haggard fromt he battle with Po and wearing a cooking pot on his head.
12. Maybe its because we are parents, but I see the Noodle Duck as an important unsung hero in the story. The Noodle Duck enables his protege’s with love and acceptance. But that would not be enough, the Noodle duck expresses his need – something we are so often told not to do these days…we should never be weak or needing of others -and it is through this need, that the protegé that is loved, feeling needed, finds a purpose, at least for that moment. Little by little the protegé is transformed through service to others and when the time is right, if the calling is heard, the protegé will again set on a new course confident that regardless of the success he meets he has a home.

Interpret me this: I was having a happy dream. I did not want to wake up I wanted­ to keep the dream going.

I had just gotten out from hanging out a hotel pool with Javier and Jaimito. We had been sitting on the steps,  chatting, playing having fun. I remember thinking I love these two little boys they are so darn cute. Next thing I know we were out of the pool, kids had gone up to the room to change and go down for the evening. I was hanging out at an outdoor bar in plain clothes waiting for Jim to come down and meet up with me.

Continue reading I dreamt I had my life →