Growing up, holidays were HUGE! Epic, really. No one needed an invitation, because everyone KNEW where to be & when. Kids ran around playing. Grownups cooked, drank, danced, drank, caught up with eachother, drank, (alcohol was a staple in this family, sad truth)...
But everyone played their role. Everyone from the chef(s), the apprentice(s), the drunk, obscure relatives who insisted on hugs & kisses from reluctant children (who had ZERO clue who the hell these people were)...
People fought over the ONE t.v. to watch either football games or parades. Which didn't really matter, since the radio blaring Salsa y Merengue always drowned out whatever was on the tv.
Someone always had embarrassing pictures AND stories of any and everything. Which inevitably caused a fight. There was ALWAYS a fight. And that fight was usually resolved with a gallon of Bacardi, ending with the fighters crying and saying they loved eachother. Sometimes somebody stormed out. They eventually came back.
When it was time to eat, it was a
Puerto
Rican glutton's Paradise! Arroz y gandules, pernil, pasteles, ensalada de papa(potato salad), deviled eggs, corn on the cob... an almost endless buffet of goodies. I miss these days of Real Family togetherness. I wish
I knew what happened to us. Why everyone turned away from the obligation of family. Why everyone got so selfish and self centered. Why no-one is willing to admit and apologize to the other for their wrongdoing. It's really sad that my children, nieces, nephews and second (or third) cousins are growing up not knowing their family. Not knowing where they come from. Not knowing all the great stories of how they came to be.
But everyone played their role. Everyone from the chef(s), the apprentice(s), the drunk, obscure relatives who insisted on hugs & kisses from reluctant children (who had ZERO clue who the hell these people were)...
People fought over the ONE t.v. to watch either football games or parades. Which didn't really matter, since the radio blaring Salsa y Merengue always drowned out whatever was on the tv.
Someone always had embarrassing pictures AND stories of any and everything. Which inevitably caused a fight. There was ALWAYS a fight. And that fight was usually resolved with a gallon of Bacardi, ending with the fighters crying and saying they loved eachother. Sometimes somebody stormed out. They eventually came back.
When it was time to eat, it was a
Puerto
Rican glutton's Paradise! Arroz y gandules, pernil, pasteles, ensalada de papa(potato salad), deviled eggs, corn on the cob... an almost endless buffet of goodies. I miss these days of Real Family togetherness. I wish
I knew what happened to us. Why everyone turned away from the obligation of family. Why everyone got so selfish and self centered. Why no-one is willing to admit and apologize to the other for their wrongdoing. It's really sad that my children, nieces, nephews and second (or third) cousins are growing up not knowing their family. Not knowing where they come from. Not knowing all the great stories of how they came to be.
