Personal Childhood Web

September 21, 2017

Personal Childhood Web

Dedicated to the People Who Loved and Cherished My Childhood.

My family is my backbone. I come from a big pot of heart-warming sancocho (a Dominican soup), seasoned with lots of spice, love and wisdom. This blog is dedicated to my family and friends who made my childhood so precious and memorable. Thank you, for your guidances, your patiences, your love and compassion. A special thank you to Mama, Abuela, Mami, Tia, and Arelis.

The first people I think about when I think about my childhood memories are my grandmothers. My mothers' mother Mama (Maria Gruillen) and my fathers' mother Abuela (Elvira Pared). They are the foundation to my family. So different, yet so alike, gentle but tough, smarts and sass, coming from two different walks of life. My grandmothers are jewels to us. They loved, nurtured, and raised us with values, beliefs, and culture. Special to me in their own special way.

Mama/Susa

Maria Gruillen also known as Susa, also known as mama, also known as OG (original gangster) is 95 years young (god bless my mama). Mama was married for many years before becoming a widow, never remarried, had 7 children (she says 8 or 9 children, but she's also known as a liar, her children say 7, lol), a seamstress, a fighter, a comedian, a gemini and so much more. Mama is one of the strongest woman I know. She used to sew all my dresses, costumes, skirts, etc for my cousins and I. So many fond childhood memories of Mama. One that I hold dear to me was when, I was a little girl on the weekends my grandmother would get me ready. We'll go to the corner bodega, buy Sunflower Seeds, Super Bubble Gum, quarter flavored water, and Wise potatoes chips, for me and my cousins. We would get on the bus, (she wouldn't let us sit on the seats because we were too "young" to be tried), pick up my cousins, tied us up by our wrist with a rope (way before before the monkey book bag came along), eat the sunflower seeds on the bus, spit out all the sunflower shells on the bus floor, (shaking my head and laughing out loud), then we would end up at the beach swimming in our under wears. At 95 she still travels on the public bus, by herself, smokes her Newports, drinks her shots, and is as sharp as a pencil tip. We love you Mama! Thank you for your sassiness.

Abuela Evira

My Abuela (Elvira Pared) was happily married to my grandfather for over 50 years, before she passed away at age of 85 in 2011. She had three boys, was a housewife, a mother, an activist in her community in the Dominican Republic, and the best cook in the whole wide world, just to name a few. My parents divorced when I was four years old. I would travel to the Dominican Republic to visit my father, during my summer vacations. My fondest memories of my Abuela, was summer of 1992, I was going to the 4th grade. I spent 5 months in the Santo Domingo. During those months I learned and received so much love and wisdom from my grandmother. She started her day at the crack of dawn, start cleaning the rice, (grain by grain), prepared breakfast. The smell of fresh coffee, toast, eggs and cheese, would wake me up. She taught me so much, she would say in Spanish "If you want respect, you have to respect yourself". Her little sayings will be forever in my heart. "let the man be the head, because the woman is the neck, without the neck, the head can not move". She taught me proper table manners, eating like a family at the dinner table. She made sure my hair and nails were well-kept. My clothes and shoes were up to date. She spoke so soft but stern. She was loved and will be remembered by everybody she ever encountered. I miss our long conversations, I miss reading her letters, her penmanship, I miss her voice, I miss her soft hands, I miss her cooking, her laugh, and scent. As I cry and reminisce typing this memoir, I know she is proud of me. Te quiero mucho y mi ase falta. Thank you for your wisdom.

My Mami and I

My mami, my mother, Caridad Reyes, also known as Chary, is the most loving and giving person. She raised two strong, hard-working, caring, and loving men, and a smart, beautiful, and caring young lady (myself). Mami is one of a kind, a unique virgo, a family orientated, and another OG. Mami is well-known in our community for her delicious cooking, that she used to sell in the neighborhood, her loud mouth, her parrot Keke, (who past away 5 years ago) and her love for birds. My mother loves all animals and is a proud owner of 7 birds and one turtle. My mother enjoys cooking, learning history, and loves to play bingo (scratch offs). My mother still tries to kiss her children on the strangest places (please do not ask me to elaborate). Mami is the life of the party, a cooking and dancing machine. My happiest memories with my mother, were going to the movies with my brothers and step father on Sundays evening. Afterwards we would go to eat dinner at Tad Steak, order, steaks, baked potatoes, garlic bread and some delicious desserts. We would then walk around Time Square and sight see. Didn't matter the weather, sun, rain, or snow, we were going on our Sunday outings. My mother will do anything for her children and her family. I appreciate everything you do for us, your daily blessings and prayers, your delicious cooking, your dream decoding, and your make up tips. Thank you for allowing me to walk in your heel as a child, play with your make up, and play dress up in your closet. Thank you for your guidances. Thank you for allowing me to be me, and loving me unconditionally. Thank you all your love.

Tia

Tia (Brundila Reyes) also known as Bruni, is my favorite aunt (shhh don't tell my other aunts). Tia was married once but divorced, never had children but raised me as her own. She also helped raise her other nieces and nephews like her own. One of the happiest, most giving, and spiciest person I know. She is the eldest of all her siblings, she was a barmaid, at a members only club for over 40 years and enjoyed doing what she did. My tia is the life of the party, dancing and singing her booty off. Always has candies in her purse, gives me and my cousins everything we want and wanted. I lived with her a couple of years and we were the best roommates. My fondest childhood memory with my aunt, was when I was around 4 or 5 years old. She used to take me to Boston with her, traveling by the Amtrak train to visit her half- brother and his family. My aunt is a heavy smoker, I remember being in the smoking section of the train, eating the best hot dogs, looking at the most beautiful scenery with my tia, and her just making sure that I was happy. I also have the most embarrassing memory as a child with my Tia. She caught me watching porn (covers eyes) when I was 10 years old. I believe she never ratted on me, (my mother never mentioned it to me). I remember her saying "oh so you want to know about sex", so she broke it down for me. That was the most embarrassing 20 minutes I had ever had. My aunt right now is going through dementia, if she was funny before, now she is a comedian. My real life Dory (Finding Nemo), I adore her no matter what. She can call me over 10 times to tell ask if I had called her anytime (true story). To my Tia, Thank you for always being there for me with open arms.

Ms. Wagner and I

Ms. Wagner also known as Arelis, my survivor, my artist, my favorite cook (from my mother side, shh don't tell my mother) my teacher, my aunt. I call her Ms. Wagner because we used to work together. She is the reason behind my passion to educate. She introduced me to the field, I volunteer in her kindergarten class when I was 13. She's a mother, a wife, a sister, an educator, an artist, a fashionista, a creative force that nobody can reckon with. She took/takes care of me as if I was one of her own. She raised two beautiful girls and a step son. My fondest childhood memories of Ms. Wagner and I, was when I used to go over to her house every weekend faithfully as a child to play with my cousins until I thought I was to cool to play make-believe. She used to wake us up, super early on Saturday mornings, to clean, cook and then hit the road. There was always a party to decorate, attend and party to, a church to visit, a store to shop at, or a family member to visit to. Till this day there is never a dull moment around Ms. Wagner she is the definition of a busy bee, Queen Bee at that. Thank you, for always keeping me busy.

Inclusion, not only did these ladies love and support me unconditionally, my entire family and friends do as well. To all my family members and friends that were not mentioned, Thank You for always being there for me and, letting me take a little bit of you with me everywhere I go. You have engraved your love in my heart forever.

XOXO

Paola also known as P

Some of the people who made my childhood so precious.