My Mom always shared a funny story. One she told us whenever Tia or Tio's name came up. Tio Beto was super smitten with Tia Rina.. totally in-love! He used to send his youngest sister (Mami) to take walks that coincidentally always took her by the Noya house. She had to report back whether Rina was home :)
Finca La Toma, Camagüey, Cuba. 1962. Under Fidel Castro's dictatorship. After we lost our freedom, we still had a small row boat
A recurring theme when people talk about mom is her smile. Mom smiled and often did so even through her pain, because that is what she wanted to leave you with, her smile. Mom would smile at total strangers, which would get her a ribbing from Tia Nena.
We would get on the bus to go shopping to A&S, and no sooner did mom step foot on the bus she'd start smiling at everyone. This would invite conversation, from others; conversation in English that mom did not understand. So, she would sit there , smiling and nodding her head and saying one of the very few words she knew how to say in English. "Yes"...smile..."yes" ...grin.."yes"...
We would get off the bus and Tia Nena would tease her "wipe that idiot grin off your face, for all you know they could have been cursing you out and you're smiling at them".
We would all get a kick out of the sisterly banter and laugh about it. Someone else might have become inhibited afterward, but not mom. None of it stopped her from smiling on the bus trip back home.
Tia Rina will always be with me. I love her smile, how her eyes sparkled and twinkled and how she was so smart and witty and talented. She was always spot on. Tia Rina knew how to laugh at herself in the funniest of ways and had such a zest for life! I will never forget my summers with her and Tio Beto when I was young. Watching soap operas and joking and eating the most delicious food!
I can still hear how hearty my Mom laughed every time Tia was on the other end of the call. It was contagious. We are Blessed to know such a special soul. She joins so many of our favorites. The party must be so grand and beautiful and full of joy!
I love you, Tia Rina. Thank you for being such a special aunt. You gave me a lot of laughter, love and smarts. I will always hold you close to my soul. You will always be a part of me.
She was my grandMOTHER ... not just because that is how a family tree works it out ... but because she was indeed a second mother to me. She lived with me from birth into my 20s. She inspired creativity (drawing these adorable cartoons so I could color them in) as well as fear (probably the reason I kept to curfew). She kept our home in order and our bellies full. She absolutely loved nature and flowers BUT didn't shy away from technology (though quite often needed a refresher on how to use her CD player). She danced. She laughed. And she kept it real.
She once made a tiny snowman, complete with toothpick arms, for me when I wasn't able to go outside and play in the snow.
She once wrote "pig" in Spanish in highlighter on my mirror because my room was so messy.
She once dressed up in my clothes because I hadn't put them away.
She would sneak up into my room to wake me up. Sometimes I would pretend to be sleeping and scare her before she scared me!
She would make me second lunch because I didn't like my brown-bag lunches.
She would essentially have cooking contests with my grandfather, and I seriously benefitted from the shenanigans. YUM!
She would watch ice skating with me, while we sorta hoped someone would fall.
She probably has told you once or twice to brush your hair.
She was the "embassy" where I would seek refuge.
She was SO LOVED!
