She is the Buddha of my home/ the color of kindness, yellow,/ turned red blood/ to white breast milk/ and lavender.
Category: Family
Eyes Full of Hope
It’s been a while since I last saw her. All the way to my hometown, I think about meeting her. I travel through half the world—past oceans and continents, the fast-food smell of airports; the noisy crowds; the never-ending lines—and arrive at the air of my country, and the old familiar sunshine, which is so …
The Day Is Almost Gone
When it appears that we are already on the trail that will eventually get to the farm, I open the car window, disregarding the flies that will enter the vehicle. I want to smell the green of the plants that only exist there, the smell of cow curd, the aroma of the rocks that appear …
At That Moment
I miss my parents so much. It’s strange that we take them for granted. We are born, and they are with us. We grow, and they are with us. So we never think about losing them. I remember that moment when my brother told me that my father was going to die. At that moment, …
My Name
I had trouble with my name. I could not change my name because of our conventional Chinese rules. Li is my last name and it comes from my father. There is nothing wrong with my last name. My first name contains two Chinese characters: Wen and Zao. In our language, Wen is an advantageous word, …
Please Don’t Call Me Suada
My name is Suada. I’m the youngest child in my family and the only girl. I had three older brothers, called Hajrudin, Senad, and Suad, who were 14, 12, and nine years older than me. My father named me after the youngest brother, Suad. It is the custom in our country that brothers and sisters …
The Story of My Name
Our name is our personal identity. By our name, we are unique and separate from others. Our names are an easy way to recognize a person, and they can be a way to get someone’s attention. According to my grandparents, a person’s name and the meaning of a name can have an impact on their …
Granny Santa
There is a funny story behind my grandmother’s name. Her real name is Izolina, but everyone calls her “Santa” or “Santinha,” which in English mean “saint” and “little saint,” respectively. Her mother and her grandmothers couldn’t agree in choosing the name. As a way to avoid disappointming two of the women, my great-grandfather told the …
Mamita Charo
When I was a child, I lived with my grandmother. For me, she was my mother. She was an amazing person. She worked so hard. She prepared food to sell in the flea market. Her name was Rosa Matilde, but her friends called her Mama Charo. She took care of me because my mom was …
Half of Myself
When I was born, the clock showed 6:15 p.m.; three minutes after that, my identical twin sister was born. From that moment on, we never separated, until now. When we were little girls, our parents dressed us the same way, like two drops of water. Then, we went to the same school, and our teachers …
My Son’s First Chess Trophy
I remember my son John’s first trophy for first place. It was very difficult to get! When my son was in third grade, his teacher recommended him to the chess team, and I agreed. Since that time, I went with my son to chess tournaments every Saturday, even in windy, rainy, or snowy weather. The …