New Beginnings

One of my favorite things is waking up in the morning, because a whole new day is in front of us.  It’s the opportunity to live what we hope for.  In my case, it is to be present, to enjoy rather than to worry, to be grateful rather than thinking of what I am missing, to exercise, to eat healthy, to meditate, to spend time with loved ones, to try to make a difference . . .

Some days I do better than others, but the next morning, we get that same opportunity again.

So every day, presents one of these new beginnings.  But there are times in life, where the new beginnings take on a different dimension.

For me, I am at a  time where I see the big changes that have already happened and know that I am just starting some things that will lead to new paths in life. Today I was reading an old article written about me 12 years ago, I realized that most of what I was dreaming about then had become a reality . . . in their own way, but that I and many of the important people in my life had accomplished those dreams . . .  dreams about my children, dreams about Wakami. . .

About my kids . . . in the article I spoke about Tefi, my oldest daughter, at that time dreaming of doing similar work to mine.  Now, she holds a masters degree from Spain and is responsible for Corporate Social Responsibility of a big company in Guatemala.  Not similar work – better and bigger work!  In the same article I spoke about Ana, my middle one, who was dreaming of being in the arts field.  Next month she will be leaving to go to school in Savannah Georgia to get a masters in Fibers, while she continues to be the head of design for an amazing clothing company. Watercolors and prints are at the heart of her work.   And my son Nico has always dreamt of playing professional soccer.  This year he began his career as a professional soccer player with New England Revolution – an MLS team in Boston.  How amazing it was to read that article from 12 years ago and see that each of my children have followed their dreams and begun their careers doing what they had dreamt about.  It is especially touching because I know how many struggles we’ve had, how many tears and fears and uncertainty we faced.  I am a very proud Mama!

And Wakami . . . its doing what we have dreamt about.  Its not perfect, its got many challenges, it´s got a long way to go, but news we received three days ago confirmed the dream.  Part of the dream that all of us that work at Wakami had was that rural Guatemalan women, with little education but great, big dreams, would make bracelets so they could generate income to raise healthy children, and most important, would be able to send their boys and girls to school, so that one day their children would work in formal jobs for small companies or big corporations.  Three days ago, 2 young women, daughters of Wakami producers, were hired by a Rubber Processing Plant to work as data entry operators . . . Yes.  From mothers making bracelets to daughters working in corporations . . . this dream represents many people and many organizations being part of the work we do (we will tell you more in the next blog)

We at Wakami have no words, just gratefulness.  Sometimes, we feel that we are walking slow, but it’s when we look back that we realize how far we have walked. 

So as kids grow and Wakami grows, what is next for me?  Not sure yet, but as I continue with my dreams and with Wakami I hear winds of change coming. . . this as I sit in an airport ready to go on a trip with a beautiful man . . . one that understands me . . . that supports me . . . a man that I admire, not only because of how he is with me, but because of how he is with others . . .

I have been blessed.  What started as a dream and a one-woman company, is now a system with a team that deserves all the respect and admiration . . . each one having a talent that when being part of a collective dream is able to transform reality.  What started as my dream is now also their dream coming to life with their energy and their talent.  Their ability will change my role – I am coming to understand what it means to lead from behind, to be a mentor who lets others dream and create and take what I imagined and make it better and to make it real. 

I know that part of my role will be to write about what we do, to become an ambassador for the Wakami System. I am learning how to be more grateful and happy, and how to worry less because I have others now that support us.  I also want to connect inwards before going outwards, I want to see Shambala unfold before me . . . I want to be able to stand at the gates of Hope (like the poem says), I want to be part of a group of people that share a collective dream . . . for my country and for the world.

A fresh start . . . not quite, but a fresh way to continue a journey that I love, with people that I love.  Life is good . . . including the challenges ahead of us, those that lead us to find our creativity, our love and our common ground.