First published May 09 2007

As I sat there in the dining room, I watched my parents dancing in the living room. They were smiling and something about the way they held each other told you there was a lot of love between them. My dad twirling my mom and both complaining about their back issues. My dad teasing her about how they weren’t young anymore. They were laughing so hard my dad tripped and both came falling down on the couch. And they laughed and laughed. My dad leans in and kisses my mom on her forehead and she smiles and looks into his eyes. I sigh and realize that’s exactly what I want for my future.

They’ve been married for about 30yrs now. Have 3 kids and one grandchild. My dad will turn 50 in February and my mom 48 in September. They’ve built a whole life with their love. They see me looking at this point and start over one more time the story about how they met.

De donde vine yo… (Where I came from)

By Miriam

Far from the highway to the city of mines, past the hissing of the rattlesnakes and close to the horizon where the sun meets the mountains, in a small rural town the telenovela (soap-opera) of my family began.

Don Lencho was a good looking man- tall, with blue eyes and light skin. He was married to the woman most feared in town. Maria Hernandez. Her name is even a catch phrase of the region. Said to you if your being stubborn and yelling too much. She was feared by many in more ways than one. No one dared contradict her and no one dared stand in her presence more than needed. Together they had 13 children. 10 of who still live today.

On the opposite side of town, past the church, and the school, and the water tower lived yet another family. Don Efren and Mellos. Mellos had 11 children, 10 still live today. Their family was rather big and Efren had to travel constantly to other towns for jobs. Months at a time. His absence would be the fire for a rumor that could of brought disaster.

Gossip has it Don Lencho was secretly in love with Mellos. And that by the creek they were seen many times, too late into the night. But while everything seemed like just gossip, it would be this same gossip that almost caused two of their kids to never give each other a chance.

Sofia was Efren and Mellos daughter. While Lencho Jr. was the son of Don Lencho and Maria. They were friends despite the rumors and the gossip and the fact that neither of their mothers could stand each other.

Sofia and Lencho never thought of each other for more than friends. They were each others comfort for years. When they’d suffer heartbreak they’d look for each other to complain about the issue. They went to parties together, danced together. Lencho’s best friend happened to be Sofia’s brother. Their paths crossed constantly but sparks never flew. Till one day after suffering much heartbreak Lencho decided to ask her to be his girlfriend. Her reaction was shock and she even told him he was crazy. But he wasn’t crazy and she was easily persuaded. You’d think love would come easy, that you just meet someone, know that they’re the one, and it works. But it doesn’t happen that way.

As their relationship progressed and it became serious - gossip filled the air. And they soon found out that to be with each other they would have to fight. See rumor was Sofia was the daughter of Don Lencho. (Lencho Jr’s dad). Fruit of the so alleged affair between their parents. That rumor would destroy their relationship. Neither family wanted them together, they tried everything possible to tear them apart. It seemed at the time that the whole town was against them. They lived with constant agony and since both families cared too much about what others thought. Sofia and Lencho sacrificed their love even when the rumors were complete lies.

Lencho left to a city far away and Sofia concentrated on working for her family. A year would pass. And though everything seemed finished… love never died. So a year later or so, when Lencho got off the city bus it didn’t come as a surprise to see a familiar face. It was Sofia who stood there waiting for him. They eloped and announced it to their families when it was too late for them to oppose.

They’ve been married for thirty years now, have 3 kids, and one grandchild. They still love each other just as much as the night when they got married. And its been that same fighting spirit that has gotten them through the good and the bad in this life.

I am happy to say I am one of their 3 kids. And from first hand can tell you that love does exist and it can prevail, but most of all that it is worth fighting for. I know all of that. Because it can be seen in the story of my parents.

There are many details to that story, there are many tears in between the lines. But there is also so much faith that love can conquer some of the most impossible situations. And that even the telenovela (soap opera) in our lives has a happy ending.

There’s many definitions to the word love. But when I think of love - I think of my parents. They have survived through the good and bad, through times that would test anybody’s faith. They’ve done it together. So many people take for granted love and marriage. But when I think of my parents, I think of a lifetime of stories written and a lifetime of stories yet to write.

See to me “Love is”… aren’t those comic strips you cut out of the newspaper.