GABRIELA YARELIZ

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Here are five confessions of truth, straight from the heart.

1] World Cup

Antoine Griezmann, I cried with you. That was tough. France, you played magically. I will always wear that jersey with pride. Bisous, les bleus, bisous.

2] Hair

It’s so weird when you cut off two feet of hair. You look around you, and see long hair EVERYWHERE. In magazines, you see the articles about short summer haircuts titled: “Do you dare?” “Edgy and Confident”. Apparently, when you cut your hair, you are confident and bold. Hair, especially long hair, can be like a security blanket for women.

I heard someone say, “Her hair makes her beautiful. If she cut her hair, she’d be ugly.” First, that is not very nice, but it was said. The thing is, girls who hear this about themselves will look the same forever and be afraid of change.

I have cut my hair a lot, and I am no stranger to change. I will admit that long hair can take over you.

The thing about hair, whether short or long, if kept the same, it can represent your fear of change. Or fear of something… Hair is very psychological– much has been written about this. Getting rid of pounds of hair is liberating in more ways than one. Sometimes. Not always. But definitely, sometimes.  

I have nothing against long hair. I will grow mine out again–because Lord knows I can’t keep a haircut; but the truth is when something is gone, you realize the value you placed on it, and the value society places on it.

For a while, I thought there was an instability in wanting change often. Every school picture of mine looks different. Maybe there is something to be said for those who like change too much? I don’t know.  I guess there are two types of people, those who want to look the same and have one set look, and those who want to experiment. Either one is ok.

The one thing I have learned is that what is important is to look your best and not let someone or something dictate that. Don’t depend on things that can fade. Develop your character, let your beauty radiate through to others no matter what the hair length. Be comfortable. Be you. Be beautiful no matter what your hair length. Let beauty be defined by something else.

3] Men and Women

Recently, I saw a scenario of men and women playing very distinct roles from what I am used to. I saw a guy with a cup of water in front of him ask his girlfriend to hand it to him. I saw women get blamed for anything that happened. I saw men get taken care of as if they were children. I saw men look threatened by an educated woman. It was odd. I am used to seeing couples and men and women act as a partnership–but what I saw here was not partnership; instead, it was someone sitting back (man) and another serving to the point of exhaustion (woman).

I have to say there is a strong cultural element coming into play here, but it upset me. Sometimes people want the idea of something, but then, when reality unfolds, the dynamic is a bit disturbing. Do people realize what they subject themselves to or how they are behaving?

The truth is, it is important to find someone who shares your views on roles and partnership. If not, you’ll end up offering to make your boyfriend /or husband a sandwich four times, and he will strongly say no. Then, when you decide to sit down and eat yours, he will decide he actually wants a sandwich and will demand one from you. You will stop and make it (with love), despite the fact that it’s in front of him and he has hands. Then, when he bites into the sandwich, instead of saying thank you, he will complain about something you put in the sandwich while he looked on as you made it. (Yes, based on a true story. Can you see my expression while watching all of this?).

I have nothing against service, but I do have an issue with slavery.

4] Graduation

Ok, maybe I am not ready. I just wanted to say, we are all feeling the pressure. It is insane how we are job hunting and graduation is months away. It’s a mess. I feel like there are a bunch of choices and streets to choose from, but you must choose wisely. One choice, one path could change your life, forever.

I feel like the Arc de Triomphe

5] Exhaustion

Coming home from work is so exhausting. You don’t want to cook or clean; you just want to sit and have food magically float to you. It’s in those days of exhaustion when you thank God you don’t have children because if you did, they would eat the rice and beans you’ve been eating all week (boring but hey, it’s healthy.) or the makeshift oatmeal dinner with kale juice.

When Friday rolls around, you just want to throw a paper towel and run. Spray some perfume and relax. But life doesn’t work that way. Life is work, even outside of work.

Vida, tranquila, que no pasa nada.

It’s only Monday–keep the inspiration flowing.

XOXO