During the holidays is really difficult to maintain a normal routine, no matter how hard one may try. We have family visitors and it is great, since part of the company is an eight year old “step-grandson” whom I had not seen for some two years. It is fascinating to realize that the growth is not only on the physical plane, but also in the maturity and mental plane. Since I saw him last, he has of course grown about 4-6 inches but has also begun to paint, draw and play the guitar. We can all do this, right? Well, his paintings have been shown at special exhibitions –by invitation, mind you- and he has won several prizes, selling at least one of his paintings for a nice sum. Not bad for a 7/8 year old (just turned 8 about 2 weeks ago). And yes, he has played solo guitar at a couple of school recitals. Not bad, huh? These last few days have given me a chance to get to know him again and it has been a great experience. We have talked about a lot of things and have played basketball. Also, much against his base desires, he has accompanied me in some of my daily walks huffing and puffing towards the end, but hanging in there.
It is truly amazing the amount of tech knowledge these new generation children have stored in their brains. When I was 8 years old, my main topic of conversation were swimming competitions in the summer, school homework (Ye Gads!!) and whatever simple and innocent (by today’s standards) pranks we would play on our classmates and teachers. In our walks, we discussed the difference between the I-phone, the blackberry and the new droids, as well as the new Wii games and other related important issues. He could actually tell me about the standards for each one and why he wanted a specific model for next Christmas (mind you, he just got a touch screen phone a few weeks ago) citing the specific advantages as the reason why he wanted that phone. It was good for me, since as a result of these discussions, I now have a better perspective as to what I want in a phone. We also discussed The Beatles (a favorite of him) and music in general. I introduced him again to basketball, which he loved to the point of asking (and getting) a new basketball to take back with him. Really have enjoyed his visit but, today he goes back to Miami, along with his mother and my wife. So I will be a bachelor for the next couple of weeks.
However, the original intent in sitting today was to retake the Puerto Rico era in my life, an era which was rich in people and happenings and which ended in my eventual draft into the US Army.
Yet, when I sat at the computer and did what I usually do first, which is to open my mail, there was a note from my dear brother Hector who reminded me that this coming year we will celebrate the 50th year of the beginning of the Pedro Pan movement (1960). So I proceeded to open the corresponding page in the Miami Herald www.miamiherald.com/pedropan and started to read the articles and look at the different vignettes and short stories. Many feelings came back to me. Not memories, but feelings. Memories I have relieved in the process of writing these notes, and it was not easy at times to bring these archival moments to my conscious level again. However, most times these memories were separated from their corresponding feelings in order to be able to put them on paper and share them. Otherwise, they would become too personal and I am not sure how much I could actually put in writing. So, after saying this, there are the feelings which surrounded these events. There were, especially at the beginning of the freedom flights, a great number of small children who were sent to this country, alone. These were children who should have been at home, playing with little soldiers and little dolls, in the safety of their family’s arms. Yes, children who were then the same age my little grandson is now. He, thanks to this great country we live in, can discuss issues important to him without worrying about whether his mom will be there at the end of the day or whether he will have to move to a new home, unless by choice (which they just did!).
After looking at these vignettes from then, I looked at the ones which showed some of these young immigrants today and read some of their stories. Many have been able to realize the American dream in their lives, having produced businesses, families and such. It is a matter of opportunity and of, as somewhere in these notes is mentioned, decisions made by parents who sacrificed that which was most precious to them, in order to give their children an opportunity.
So what are the feelings that come to the forefront? On a more primal and older level is a base of sadness, in memory of what was taken at a very early age and never recovered. Above this, is a deep sense of gratitude to a life which was made possible precisely as a result of what was lost. Opportunities, family, love, wealth gained and lost and –hopefully- gained again, health and a host of life memories which would have never been possible otherwise.
In the balance -not a final one yet, I truly hope- the positives outweigh the negatives. In reality, the negatives are now just part of the early memories of those Pedro Pan camp times. Not because of the life we led then, but because of what had created this need to change and to adapt to a new life.
So now, as we are ready to celebrate(?) this 50th anniversary, we can rejoice in the fact that our coming to this country gave us all an opportunity to get ahead, and to show the world that this little island in the Caribbean had a hardy and creative people, willing and able to adapt and to go on living without ever forgetting our origin and our beloved island in the Caribbean.
So, to all my Pedro Pan Brothers and Sisters:
As one of the group, I wish you a Happy/Sad 50th anniversary; May God bless us all!!
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