So I have this amazing friend named Christina. We met in the girls bathroom at Solon High back in the day and turns out she came to guatemala for a while and we had all sorts of adventures. Life isn't the same without her here... But here's what she's got to say:
BLOG #1: Weeding is sacred
“Do your knees hurt, Dona Maria?”
She looks down at her knees. “No.”
“Not even a little?”
“No, not even a little.” She laughs.
We are weeding in her garden, and the backs of my thighs are permanently glued to my calves; my knees are begging to be straightened. But she's been sitting like this since she was a small child, so she's quite accustomed to this position.
We are talking to the weeds as we rip them out of the soil. “No tenga miedo...te voy a encontrar...y te voy a matar". Don't be afraid...I will find you...and I will kill you. My first sarcastic joke in Spanish, I’m feelin good.
My attempt at joke number two didn’t quite go as planned. I said, "Dona Maria, did God really have to make weeds?"
I was completely thrown off by her response. “If we had no weeds we would have no work.”
Her words hung in the air for a few seconds before my mind could really grab hold of them. It was such a simple statement, but something about it struck me from a new angle. And I still can’t put my finger on the reason it was so poignant…if it was the statement itself or her lack of hesitation.
If what was so profound was the nature of the statement itself, then I suppose what struck me was how representative it is of the work ethic of Almolongan women. Work, in and of itself, seems to be so highly valued. Regardless of the extent to which it fulfills all passions, solves all world problems, or subscribes to the latest career trends—simply the act of working is significant, is good for us, is sacred. And to so strongly value this naked concept of work, I think, fosters such a unique and powerful work ethic that is evident throughout the community.
Weeding is sacred.
Now, if the profundity of her response was not in the essence of her words, it’s quite possible that what struck me was the confidence and lack of hesitation in her voice. The sureness. This woman is filled to her 4'8" brim with a lifetime of experience that adds immeasurable depth to the simplest of statements. And credibility I suppose.
How can people who have seen so much, endured burdens so heavy…how can these people have such sureness about life and how it's supposed to be? Such inner strength. Is it a coping mechanism to carry on…or is it more than that…I mean, it seems as though my new Almolongan friends each have an extra organ in their chest pumping raw strength through their veins. Where can I get one of these? I could use some extra mental/emotional/spiritual endurance…not to mention some extra blood flow in my knees.
