Countering the Holiday blues....

     As the Holidays approach and the end of the year comes to a close, many of us will begin to reflect on our past and sometimes that can bring about regret, sadness and even anger.

     Just the other day my nephew spoke to me about revisiting my home town in Mexico when he returns here for the Holidays.  He mentioned that he would like to revisit where my brother and I came from because it would give him a reminder and an understanding of why we’ve worked so hard our entire lives.  Immediately, I began looking into my past.  I began researching old photos and started looking up my town on the internet.  To my surprise while surfing on the web, I found photographs of all the violence that has taken place since we left.  I came across articles of the struggles the community is having in dealing with poverty, lack of opportunity and all the violence due to the territory wars that are happening between the cartels.  It made me really sad and it made me realize that there is no way I would take my nephew there.

      Then, while looking through our family’s photo albums I realized how different I was looking at these photos that I have seen in the past.  Once again, I saw struggle, poverty, I came across photos that brought back memories of alcoholism in the family.  Memories of arguments that many times ended in physical fighting within the family.  I began to feel ashamed and sad at the same time.  As I kept looking I realized how much struggle our mother had to endure to bring us here to America and how much we’ve had to push to make a productive life.  At that moment I realized how depressed I was starting to become.

       Well, here’s the good news.  As I started thinking about these struggles I realized I was heading into a bad place.  And I honestly did not want to be there.  So I turned it around and it took me two days, but I was determined to get myself back to being happy.  I began thinking about my nephew attending medical school in Philly.  I thought about how proud I am that he’s so interested in my brother’s life and mine.  How respectful he is towards us and I love that he gives a shit.  I went back and looked up the photos I had come across on the internet of my hometown.  This time in the mist of all that violence, I began to see people in those photos who were fighting for their homes and their communities.  I saw individuals helping others and I saw people celebrating birthdays and graduations.  I saw people wanting to live and wanting to laugh and celebrate.  I came across photos of small parades and small concert venues with couples dancing.  I came across a picture of  this old movie theater I use go to as a kid where we had to use aluminum folding chairs and we paid a nickel(cinco pesos) for a movie.  I then began to think about our mother and all she’s had to take on to give her kids her very best.  And it reminded me of my newborn and what

 I’d like to give to her in her lifetime.  And soon I began to feel happy again.  I realized that my nephew asking to visit my old hometown was because he must feel proud of how far we’ve come.  How far he’s come and how he simply wants to put things into perspective.

     In closing, I’ve realized that my journey in life has never been about being better than anyone.  For me, each day is about being better than what I use to be. Being a better man, a better business person, a better neighbor, friend, father, uncle, being a better life partner to Faidre.  If you’ve been traveling into those Holiday blues lately, get out of it!  Start looking at the good in things.  Sometimes things happen in life that will lead you into something you’re suppose to do or a place you’re suppose be.  Have faith and close this year with a positive outlook on your life.  If you look close enough I’m certain you’ll find happiness in it the way I have.  Happy Holidays and God bless….

To your health & success,

Marco Gamez