Mexican Mother's Day

Mi Primer Amor.

With every lifestyle blog, there will be a featured song contributing to the curation of the atmosphere of said post. Be sure to tune in while reading or listen and view the images after as part of the experience.

{Song for Post: Amor Prohibido by Selena}

Mexican Mother's Day

was

an

experience.

For those of you who aren't aware, Mexican Mother's Day is the day after the traditional "Mother's Day" across the globe. Many Mexicans obviously celebrate no matter where they live and it's a good time all around.

Now as I've said before my mother is full blooded Nicaraguense, like out of the volcano herself, old bible testament type of woman. My father as far as I know was fully Mexican but as a result of absence within my family, I chose to only celebrate and involve myself in my mother's culture for a really long time. It wasn't until I began to reflect, and spent more time appreciating both sides of me instead of only being completely comfortable embracing one.

I thought, what better way to appreciate culture and the ideals of life other than to participate. So for the first time with purpose, I chose to celebrate Mexican Mother's Day with my one and only mother, and it turned out to be one of the best days I've ever had.

I learned your ideals, passions, thoughts, actions, and desires make up who you are, it's not just your heritage that plays a part in your identity.

We did a quick mother, son, photoshoot and then we went to celebrate for the day.

Here are some moments in time with the most important woman in my life.

We went on to spend the day together and shared a lot of important time. Having difficult conversations, laughing at upbringing mistakes, eating, drinking you name it. For me I finally understood, things only have power or fear over you in life because you either allow it to, or you're clueless to how powerful you truly are. Now I'm no psychiatrist but this all resonated with me.

What was bothering and halting me was the disgraceful impression and dishonor my father had left on my family. Knocking up my mother when she was 19 and a virgin, and then bailing when he found out I was on the way made me want nothing to do with him. Not speak his name, not embrace his culture, not even care for his existence. At a certain point it was keeping me from learning about myself. Do I have siblings on that side? What will my beard look like? What's a "torta"? I've never had one.

I decided, you must face everything opposing you in life head on because by the grace of God and your authority as a human being you are more than strong enough. Strong and smart enough to overcome anything that comes your way even if in some ways winning means submitting. That was the hardest recent lesson for me, knowing certain things in life are out of my control and so accepting was the first step in healing.

Don't be afraid though you're not alone.

I now challenge you, to challenge yourself. Dig deeper than the surface and ask "Is there something bothering me?" "What can I do about it?"

This is a start.

All it takes is a step in the right direction, after that just one day at a time.

Take care of you and the rest will follow, I promise.

Thank you mom for raising me as you did and always being there for me no matter what, I love you more than words could ever express.

[P.S.] Pretty random but you want to know what bothered my mom that day? Little explanation for the next photo..while we were out having lunch someone parked too close to my moms car and scraped her whole left side including the bumper. It was a total accident and was fixed in almost no time but this shows anything can happen at any given moment. Maybe the lessons I learned that day would have never happened, so I take it all as blessings. Enjoy the minutes as they pass by. Try to cherish what you have rather than focusing on what you don't.

It's a much more positive life that way.

If you can, enjoy your family and loved ones in all moments, no one's here forever, not even you.