Thoughts from a Temporary Cat Lady

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Where I am staying, there is a little cat that is afraid of many things. Any sudden movement, and she disappears. I suppose many past, bad experiences brought her to her nervous state. So now, even though she is safe, she is still afraid. I was talking to the cat while I was cooking. “We are all afraid of something, aren’t we?” I reflected with the frightened one who was watching my every move, as I continued to stir the contents of a pot. “You are ok, though. And I certainly won’t hurt you,” I reasoned with her.

This charming conversation that ended in the cat ditching me in the kitchen, and her running off to sniff my purse, brought my mind back to the main verses and thoughts that have been on my mind this week.

Here is a remix of Psalm 56:

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you (God). (v.3)

In God I trust, I shall not be afraid. (v.4)

This I know that God is for me. (v.9)

What can man do to me? (v.11)

And Psalm 84:3, 11:

“Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God.”

“For the Lord God is sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does He withhold

from those who walk uprightly.”

This one goes out to anyone in a moment of transition; anyone who is afraid; or anyone who has failed to realize that he or she is now safe. That is the amazing thing about God. He wants to not only hold us and heal us, but He wants to bestow abundant blessings on us. He wants to make us bold and empower us to live life without fear. Perfect love casts out all fear, scripture says (1 John 4:18). God is that perfect love. No fear.

The Sequel Begins

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By: Gabriela Yareliz

Changes are interesting, and they are particularly interesting when they are a more “permanent” kind of change. This summer was great (I have so many photos and insights to share post-bar exam; I promise, it’s coming soon). Summer is about to conclude with the bar exam. I still think of the year on a school-year calendar, which means a new one is starting. I think of life as a pilgrimage of sorts, which makes it exciting.

I was reminded this summer of an event that changed my life forever; a place where my life took a dramatic turn. Sometimes, we forget how much we have been through in life, and realizing this reveals, in a powerful way, how far God has taken us. I was reminded of where a huge phase of my life began; the amazing people God put in my (and my family’s) path; heartbreak; accomplishments; growth– it’s crazy when you look back; when you REALLY look back (especially, when you look back at the ugly moments that ended up being a blessing).

Today, I was at the airport. The woman who took my suitcase threw it onto the conveyor belt, and I felt I heard something shatter inside of my suitcase. I will find out soon enough. The line for security was so slow I thought I would miss my flight, but thank God I made it just in time for boarding. The captain of the plane saw my French soccer team jersey with the rooster (le coq) on the chest and the “FFF” inscription. He asked me if the “FFF” stood for “Future Farmers and something else” because he said there was a “chicken” on my shirt. That gave me a good laugh.

Today is a big day. It’s the beginning of yet another turning point and phase of my life. I am excited, giddy and homesick (I won’t lie). I always miss my family terribly. Maybe, today, the shattering noise I heard was my heart and not my stuff in my suitcase. It’s always hard to leave home. Growing up is strange. It feels draining; there is a bit of anxiety; a lot of excitement; and yet still, a sense of peace, because I know I am exactly where I need to be.

Looking back at this journey so far, I have seen God so clearly, walking every step of the way with me. I have seen this before, but I can’t stress how important it is to have it super present when your world is changing dramatically. While things are changing (again) and a new chapter begins, I know that God’s presence in my life is something that doesn’t change.

When you are young, you envision your life. You spend your youth building that life, and while the building of a life never ends, there is a point where you begin to enjoy the fruits of your labor and the blessings. It’s that moment when you realize you have become the person you once envisioned, and it’s go time. It’s time to fill in the blanks and keep making it an amazing story.

I am so grateful, and I am excited to see how things continue to unfold. I have to go because my plane is descending. I have taken off, and now, I am landing in a world that is ripe for new stories, friends, experiences, growth and miracles.

A family member I admire very much once declared when confronted with a life-or-death situation, “I am not afraid.” Considering the context of the statement, it was bold. At a crucial time in my life, my mother stepped out in faith and her actions manifested her valor, faith and courage. Now, it’s my turn to pick up my bags and walk forward. I am not afraid because He walks with me. He has always been walking with me. Every step.

It’s time to continue walking.

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The sequel begins.

[Photos by Luis Gabriel]

This Changing World: July 19, 2015

By: Gabriela Yareliz

The world keeps spinning and changing. MAC announced it will launch the Selena (Quintanilla) line in 2016. A Latina icon being celebrated like this would not have happened in my childhood.

Donald Trump thinks he can turn Puerto Rico into Puerto Trump (please God, no). No one remarked on the fact that his plan to turn the island into a giant golf course with 1,800 holes because not much was in the way except “maybe some chickens,” was racist and disturbing in and of itself.

And then, there is Atticus Finch, the fictional civil rights champion of our youth, who with the publication of Go Set a Watchman was explicitly revealed a racist and bigot.

The world keeps changing, and if you blink, you just might miss it.

Reflections Before Bedtime #32

By: Gabriela Yareliz

I have been thinking, and I think I have realized that maybe the easiest way we realize we don’t believe something will happen is when we don’t dream about it at all or envision it. Nothing new there. But it’s weird when you come to that realization– that perhaps there is a room in your heart that has been empty, gathering dust and full of cobwebs.

Or maybe, that room is full of furniture that has been left under dust and watch of spiders; some Havishamesque room where time has stood still. Forgotten. Old dreams that have begun to rot.

Have you ever walked into such a room? A room where the past and present meet. A room that leaves a pang in your chest. A room where past failures or dashed hopes sit broken, like a shattered vase. A room where, somehow, a ray of light streams in, making even the dust glitter, inviting life. A room whose door is unlocked, waiting for you to decide that it’s time to clean it out and put things in their order. A room that is full of possibilities if you could just move past pain and be courageous enough to believe in its potential. A room that is not about what you see, but what you want to see. A room to which only you have the key.

No Fear

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Those of you who read my random musings know I am all about self-improvement and growth. I believe that truly living out God’s purposes for our lives means combatting our fears and moving past our comfort zones.

Yesterday, I was deeply moved by a verse in scripture that I have read many times:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

God doesn’t want us to be afraid. I began wondering, if my fear is real, then what does God want me to do with that fear? Our fears are real and pressing. The thing is, God doesn’t just stop at, “Don’t be afraid.” Instead, He gives us the reason of why we shouldn’t be afraid. He says:

“Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

We shouldn’t fear because His promise is that He is with us wherever we go.

The Creator of the universe walks with us. He is ready to show us how real He is, if we are willing to let Him show us.

XOXO from Texas.

On the Road (a non-Kerouac version)

       “But why think about that when all the golden lands ahead of you and all kinds of unforseen events wait lurking to surprise you and make you glad you’re alive to see?” Jack Kerouac, On the Road

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Don’t worry. I won’t start talking about how I saw God on the road to Utah or how I tried to convince someone of their beauty à la Kerouac. This is my version. The version of a twenty-something year old looking at clouds through her car window thinking of fears she wants to vanish and a future she wants to rule.

Greetings from New Orleans! We are on the road, again. We made a lovely stop at the New Orleans’s French Quarter. It is a good 100 F degrees, and it felt like even the colorful shutters on the New Orleans’s buildings were melting. I noticed an absence of humans on Bourbon Street. I think New York has ruined me because now every city feels underpopulated and deserted as if an apocalypse happened. I end up wondering, “Where are all the people?” 

The road is slightly bumpy, and we continue to cross over bridges with blue water and green marshes below.

There is so much to see and discover in this world. And while some places may be similar or somehow familiar, what makes them different is the people who live there. Us and our stories. We make places unique and special.

Humans and love, it makes things different; it transforms; it creates. This fact makes me wonder, why do we fear death so much? As some famous rapper says, we don’t die if our legacy is alive. We should fear being silent and not being who we want to be more than someday passing…

My toenails are pink, and they are glittery like the traffic outside. I am off to keep daydreaming and staring out of my window at the lovely Louisiana that is just outside.

       “‘I just won’t sleep,’ I decided. There were so many other interesting things to do.” Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Road Trip

By: Gabriela Yareliz

The family is going on a road trip, and naturally, I am coming along– bar books, camera and all.

It will be quite the adventure. By the end of the summer, I will have probably visited at least eight states (?), with my departure and destination points being the same. Life is one weird, wacky road trip. You have to pack your cutest, Coachella-esque outfits, packs some snacks (and tacos, please), grab your map, charge your camera for the memorable moments, and hope for the best. It’s about being patient and willing to explore dusty roads with your Converse-clad feet.

Sometimes, you will get stuck in traffic, you’ll miss an exit, get lost, or breakdown– but the important thing is to stay focused on the destination, and do your best to stay on track. Have an open mind, and bring good music because the ride is long and anything can happen.

[Images from Tumblr]