3am and there is a knocking at my door and it's my mother with devastating news that my paternal grandfather had passed away in Mexico. Seeing as my father passed away 3 years ago it's my duty as head of the family to be there in his place to see his father off. We quickly started making phone calls and seeing who all was heading down to Mexico and which way they were traveling. After 18 hrs on a bus, me and my mother made it down to San Luis Potosí. It had been many years since I was here as a kid running around playing in the streets and it felt right to be back.
The mood was somber but it also had a hints of playfulness, it was the first time in many years that so many of the family had been together and although the occasion was sad the catching up and traditional Mexican "Carrilla" or banter /teasing was in a lot of the conversation held between all of the cousins. This was the first time in Mexico as an adult so even though I was there for a sad occasion I decided I would make the best of it because I think it's what my grandpa who had wanted it.
I decided to walk the streets and even visited the "mercado" market. Mexico is such a colorful place that is probably what catches your eye first and where we are from is a small town surrounded by mountains and you can breath a much fresher air. The street food was fantastic, from the taco spot to the guy selling street corn on the corner and there's definitely something different in the beer because the imported stuff we get in America taste way different then over there.
With everything going on I couldn't help but ask a question to myself of why had I never made the effort to come back to Mexico? I had definetly had opportunities as I have an older brother who moved back so why did it take my grandfather passing to bring me back to where it all started and where for generations my ancestors have came from even before the the spaniards colonized Mexico. I guess that I had gotten so wrapped up in life and work just becoming a "grown up" that I had forgotten how much fun my younger self had there. Since it was a short trip and obviously my grandfather's funeral was the most important thing I didn't get to do much, but just being with family was very special and hearing story of how it was for them growing up there and stories about my dad had me crying like a baby.
As I write this now a couple weeks removed I can't help but wish I was back in Mexico this time for vacation, maybe to just spend a couple weeks there. There is so much to do from "cenotes" natural sink hole to water falls, but the family time is key as well. I know moving forward I have to make time to visit Mexico, visit the family and just go destress from life in nature. I really need to go help my brother take care of his live stock, just something different than the life circle that we are in which we go to work, get home, go to sleep, wake up and do it over all again. I love my job but even that gets to be to repetitive, we need breaks, we need vacation, and I know where I'm going for my next one.