Jan 20, 2023

THE OTHERSIDE OF THE VOLCANO - Newsworthy or not, Chapter 34, Happy New Year 2023

 


Greetings my friends.  It suddenly occured to me that I have NOT  visited YOU and my blog for quite some time...I have lots of local, and personal, news to share....ready or not?

I am now 79 (and one half) years old.  I still, like many other grandes, am totally surprised at how 79 years passed by so quickly...just when I was getting the hang of being a little quiet, well, BANG I plopped down again in the FRONT ROW of my life.  Again I am reminded of my former (heavily visited) SHRINK, Dr. Jean U, who told me - You will like reality, it just takes some getting used to - ...the very idea seemed to startle and offend, ME ... but I survived her, her message, and myself and paid attention to the greater specific wisdom of it all.  OPEN YOUR EYES, Leonardo!

REALITY!  REALLY?

Yes, there seems to be no way of dodging it/reality.  I no longer drink my way out of and around it since the 13th of December 1978!  That is 44 years of edging closer and closer to my seat in front row of life. I may not have missed many POPULAR/SHALLOW features in the smoke filled balcony of life for my first 35 years (I did see/catch a glimpse of quite a few colorful shorts and many THRILLERS) however both sober and not so much sober I was mostly in the dark.   NOW, I love reality, mostly, even the hard part seems to be helpful in my color saturated world of accepting and not pretending THINGS are different than they really are.  DENIAL is extra multi purpose but it can be painful (reminds me I maybe want to go on a diet) in the long run of life. Best to stay in the right NOW? 

My reality remains riveted on the life around me in a/this small pueblo in Guatemala.  It is the most fascinating and rewarding part of my very fortunate adventerous/longlike trip!  The people here are kind, very hard working and are respectful to me,..me, a older/single Gringo.  It is a truth of how much love I feel from my fellow artists and friends and some neighbors too...NOTE/REMEMBER how polite/welcoming Guatemalans are to me, a foreigner in their midst.  When you meet a CHAPIN in the good old U.S.A.,please  be kind to them., reality just takes some getting used to,and los Chapins are a happy and loving group of human beings gifted with lots of brilliant cultural background and lots of natural tenacity.

Leonardo at the foot of the volcano


to be continued

2 comments:

Envoy said...

You were kind and full of wisdom back in Condado. I drove by your old place and expected to see the American flag on the balcony but alas— it was not to be.

I’m happy and sad that you left San Juan for better surroundings.

You make your environment better wherever you go —my dear friend.

Jose —Old Paper Envelope Accomplice from Bared

Leonard said...

Miss You Too ( but thankfully I remember very clearly what an amazing and talented and dashing fellow you are...un abrazo grande, Len