You’ve come from so far
Tiny creature of love
Make yourself at home
There are strawberries and hummingbirds
There are breath-taking sunsets and crystalline waters
Make sure you walk barefoot on warm sand
There’s literature, and theatre
And the extraordinary human voice.
There is also horror and pain, racism and bigotry
So, learn to tell beauty from terror, truth from hate
Wander through our world heritage
Crush lavender seeds in your fingers, and then, eyes closed, take a deep breath into your hands
Believe in god, nature or love, some say they’re the same
Go find your soulmates, and cultivate them like a sacred garden
Recognize the universal in our striking human diversity
Respect and cherish the voice of a loved one by your side
Travel by land, water, and air, and make yourself the destination
Praise human creativity, there’s Bach, Shakespeare and Borges,
Miguel Hernández, and Maya Angelou, to name but a few
Visit them regularly
They help us make sense of our journey on earth
Don’t leave without a swim in plankton-covered seas
And when things get rough, because they will, find peace in nature
Confide in the horizon of the river, look for the universe in a rose
Choose your battles, embrace a noble cause
Celebrate triumphs and forgive failures
Discover your interests, study your field, life is more enjoyable when applied with discipline
Find creative work
Enjoy the satisfaction of a clever argument, and recognize when others have won
When you are lost and sad, read poetry, or dance, or go for a run
Let the raindrops wash down your tears
Learn to do something beautiful with your hands, carve a wooden toy or bake bread
Honor the truth, and respect children
Hold a puppy in your hands, bring it to your face, and see spirituality eye-to-eye
Trust your inner compass, and when in doubt, confer with someone you love
Create your own rituals and find comfort in them
Lend a hand to someone in need, and feel how empathy fills both of you with energy
Open doors for sheer curiosity
And recognize when you need to move on
Practice solitude every day, in nature
Treasure what awaits you there.
Take solace in the fact that you are (only) a piece of nature, like a tree, or a bird.
And when the time comes, may you look back to a life well lived.
— Ximena Escobar de Nogales
Thinking of baby Ada-Jayne and her mom, Brooke Hall
