These photos belong to those wonderful moments, which gave me and my beloved family, moments of joy, laughter, togetherness, love and happiness.
When I read about this contest by @zord189, I thought it would be very easy to talk about five things that make me smile. But when I started writing... poof! the ideas disappeared from my mind; that is, my mind went blank, as if I had received a dose of anesthesia.
And that's because it's said to be easy. But to talk about it, is not so easy.
Do you know why? Because there are many moments a day that give us smiles. A baby in his stroller, the smile of an old man, a comment by WhatsApp, a funny video by Tik Tok, in short...
I think that the purpose of this contest is not to touch banal topics that anyone has lived. I'm more than sure that the idea of @zord189, is that we get into our minds, that we poke around those sleeping memories, those moments that we consciously don't remember.
There is a phrase that for years, I have found great for its reality:
"No one is so poor that they can't give a smile, nor so rich that they don't need one."
It is so true!
It seems unbelievable that sometimes, a smile we give to a stranger can change their day completely; we don't know what internal battles that person is fighting, nor the difficult moments they are going through, and a smile they receive can work wonders in their life.
So, as I said, it is not easy to think of 5 important things that make me smile.
I know that when I start to dig into my memories, the tears will come to my eyes immediately and irremediably, but it is something I want to do, that I need to do, because in order to keep going, I must look for those moments that life gave me, in which I was immensely happy; I need to do it because I am in a stage of my life, in which the problems and the consequent worries, have taken away my sleep.
Well, I'll start digging into my memory these wonderful memories...
5 things that make me smile:
My trip to Finland and the Canary Islands, many moons ago.
The photos I have of this trip, are very blurry and very few. I think we were so happy those days, that taking pictures was a waste of time, when love, union and happiness were the main characters.
This trip was because my boyfriend at that time, was Finnish. I met him in Caracas through a friend. We fell in love immediately.
Canary Islands. In the first picture, there are my in-laws, in a town called Puerto Rico, on the outskirts of the island's capital. The second photo is a view of Playa El Ingles, in Maspalomas. The third photo, my in-laws and me, resting a long way. Fourth photo, my beloved and remembered boyfriend and me in a restaurant. I didn't want to have my picture taken because I felt awful that day, but my father-in-law, laughing, took it. Last photo, days before the trip, with my brother and his wife.
It was an intense, exciting and vibrant year in every sense of the word.
They were days that passed quickly, exciting, beautiful days. I met him in June and in December of that same year, he invited me to spend New Year's with his parents in Finland and in January, we would go to the Canary Islands to spend three weeks, as was the custom there every year.
Every minute, every second, every day I lived with him, was really beautiful and although death was the one who separated us, today I remember him with a smile and although my eyes do not stop crying before the wave of memories, my tears are not of sadness or nostalgia, but of a deep and infinite gratitude to him, for all the love and magic he gave me and to God for having put in my way, a being so wonderful that it did not seem real.
The second memory that comes to my mind, are the moments with my friends; those moments that have been disappearing, long before the pandemic because everyone began to take different paths, after many years of intense rumba. I think we went out every day with any excuse. We had a great time. Our favorite place was a bar in Altamira, called Greenwich. For us it was "the hole", because of the small and dark place. It's that typical place where we all know each other, where we made a good friendship.
Different moments, different experiences, the same friends, the same joy.
A place full of good music. Usually Rock. The local DJ always played Guns N' Roses, Metallica, RadioHead, Queen, U2. He also played Rock in Spanish. It was alternative.
Greenwich is the place where everybody knows your name.
Collection of photos and unforgettable moments. Memories of parties until dawn, where friendship and laughter always prevailed.
The third thing that comes to my memory, making a big smile on my face, is my childhood. I think that since I was born, I have been happy. I was fortunate to be raised by two great, unique, loving, funny and absolutely understanding human beings. Then at school, with my classmates. These are moments that are definitely still anchored in my soul.
Pictures from when we were little, my brothers, cousins and me. Memories that shake and give away smiles of joy.
The fourth reason to smile was to have my son. He is a child, sweet, loving, intelligent, excellent student, very funny and entertaining. Every day with him, he has been full of joy, happiness and infinite love. He gives me wonderful moments and many hugs that make my life more precious.
I feel happy for what I have achieved with him on my own.
The fifth reason that has given me smiles of happiness, was the marriage of my niece Michelle, in January 2020.
She lives in Barcelona, Spain with her only boyfriend. She met him there, when she left Venezuela to pursue a master's degree in her career. Since she would initially be there for eight months, she looked for a job. In that job she met him. He is Catalan and she is Venezuelan, granddaughter of Spaniards.
That was in April 2014 and in April 2019, he gave her a trip to Switzerland because she was having a birthday. There he asked her to marry him.
They got married in Barcelona in December 2019 and in January 2020, they came to Venezuela to get married in the church by the beach.
These days we were at the beach inn and even though many family members could not be there, because they were in other countries, we who were lucky enough to go, had a beautiful time.
Each and every one of those three days, the good vibe, the joy, the happiness and the love, were present every minute.
On the day of the wedding, there was not a single guest who did not shed tears. We all cried with happiness, even the bride and groom when they read their vows.
It was magic in the most sublime of happinesses.
With this contest entry, I realized once again that we need so little in reality to be happy! I am referring to the economic part.
With good health, the affection of our loved ones, that complicity that characterizes real friends, we have everything to be happy.
As John Lennon said:
"Life is what happens to you as you make plans for the future".
Let us enjoy, give thanks to the Universe, to God, to life or to the one in whom each one believes. Let us give thanks for being alive, healthy, having good friends and never forget to give a smile to someone who crosses our path. We can change that person's day.
Hola mi chica sonrisa, para reir no hace falta mucho que hacer, claro hay momentos cosas que nos hacen entristecer pero que hacemos con tomarnos una foto y la cara riste no que va para mi una foto es para reir y digan whiskyyyyyyyyy ja ja ja desde que nos conocemos virtual siempre te veo con una sonrisa y esa voz seductora ja ja ja bello tu post ya voy a hacer el mio
It made me smile looking at your photos and the passion with which you describe each moment, what beautiful memories. Thank you for this touching publication.
This post has been supported by @minnowsupport. I invite you to use the tag #palnet
Son demasiados los recuerdos hermosos que vinieron a mi mente, cuando escribí este post. Mi infancia fue realmente maravillosa y así parte de mi adultez. Espero que el viento sople en favor mío y de mi hijo este año🥴 aunque ya no podemos decir: 2021, sorprendeme!!! Jajaja da como miedito!
Oye es verdad jajaja, hay que decirle algo como : Pasa, pórtate bien y hazme feliz...algo así.
¡Saludos!