World Beginnings

  Who remembers “The Donna Reed Show”? Miss Donna always looked perfect in heels, earrings and lovely dresses without stains or wrinkles. Her husband, Alex, was equally immaculate and unflappable and as a youngster, I dreamed of being their child. My family was too poor to afford a television but from time to time I watched at a neighbor’s house. We lived nothing like the Reed family and in my naive mind, this was how everyone lived and I didn’t really understand why we were different. Who could imagine that from the 1950s until today the influence that small screen would have on our world? Now we have the Kardashians’ flaunting perfect bodies and mansions. And somewhere, there is a little girl wanting to be like them.

  “Listen, Peter. When Aslan said you could never go back to Narnia, he meant the Narnia you were thinking of. But that was not the real Narnia. That had a beginning and an end. It was only a shadow or a copy of the real Narnia, which has always been here and always will be here: just as our own world. The Last Battle . Copyright © 1956 by C. S. Lewis Pte., Ltd. Copyright renewed © 1984 by C. S. Lewis Pte.  Escaping through the wardrobe to a magical land, Narnia, symbolized hope to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, when the harsh realities of the world became too much for their young souls. Children’s imaginations are powerful, from playing in parents’ clothing, dressing dolls, or building with Lincoln Logs.   Who made forts in the woods or backyards? Who imagined a fallen tree as a pirate ship or trains made with dining room chairs and blankets? We created our own perfect little worlds where we were in charge, with no need for technology to direct the ideas. As Lewis write...

  The Ajijic Malecon winds gracefully around Lake Chapala's edges, bordered with manicured grass, palm trees, and masses of bright bougainvillea. Deeks and Saschatawan pelicans appear suspended, and egrets on stilts stand on the margin of land. Each enjoying the lake's bounty. Sunrises and sunsets are magical, filling the soul with a serene peace. Normally,  it is tranquil, but in the late afternoon, there are often guitar players serenading those strolling past as the sun sinks into the mountains. It is easy to be swept up in the natural beauty because many gringos never leave the promenade. After all, the continuation isn't paved, and there are no benches to sit on while listening to the gentle waves lapping the shoreline. Most people circle around and go back the way they came. The scene on the other side is a wilderness compared to the malecon. Often those who venture onto this hard beaten path, those of us with dogs, will encounter young men enjoying a bit of magic wee...

Siren after siren pierced the hot August evening air, it seemed every local police and emergency vehicles were racing down the carretrra behind me. Within minutes, Facebook posts revealed the terrible news. A man's body was found at the entrance to Villa Nova, one of the exclusive areas here in Ajijic. Getting the Forensic department from Guadalajara takes hours and the body couldn't be moved from the rough cobblestoned road.  Since Villa Nova is just across the carreterra from my house, I often walk my dogs there, and soon after his murder, his family erected this memorial marker with his name, birth, and death day.  We pass this sad reminder of the violence associated with drugs and poverty; my heart always twinges for him.  No matter who the dead are, they were someone's son, brother, and probably a father as well. They celebrated birthdays, holidays, went to school, and had simple dreams. But those are all gone now. November 1 is celebrated in Mexico as the Day of the...