Gabriela and the Awful, Rainy, Bad-News-Filled Day

* [Yes, this title is a play on: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, published in 1972, written by Judith Viorst.] By: Gabriela Yareliz What a day it has been. It was a combination of stress, bad news and having to hold in emotions. I had to walk through the rainContinue reading “Gabriela and the Awful, Rainy, Bad-News-Filled Day”

Being Human: Being Art

“To create is to reflect the image of God. To create is an act of worship.” Erwin Raphael McManus, The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life into a Work of Art By: Gabriela Yareliz I want us to talk about the way we show ourselves to the world. Recently at church, we were discussing how humansContinue reading “Being Human: Being Art”

Being Human: Here Comes Autumn

FALL TRANSITION By: Gabriela Yareliz And here we are. Inside of my little studio, French jazz playing, little amber candles burning and the drawers of my dresser only half closed. That’s the way it goes on a Friday where I don’t want to leave my house anymore, and I just want to start my sentenceContinue reading “Being Human: Here Comes Autumn”

This Past Season

“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, support, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10 By: Gabriela Yareliz I always do enjoy putting my thoughts out into letters. It sort of shifts things in timeContinue reading “This Past Season”

Grand Hotel

By: Gabriela Yareliz There are shows like Grand Hotel (and telenovelas, in general) that attract the masses. They are deliciously dramatic, salacious and mysterious. Part of what makes the storyline what it is are the layers and layers of family secrets and deeds that are being hidden from the audience and others in the story.Continue reading “Grand Hotel”

Happy Birthday, America

By: Gabriela Yareliz Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. [Constitution of the United States of America,Continue reading “Happy Birthday, America”

June 2019 Insights

By: Gabriela Yareliz The insights of the month of June. The insights come to me in between the walks past the bakery that just opened, with its “Grand Opening” funeral flowers, getting elbowed in the face while exiting the train (almost broken glasses– nerdy much?)– only to find the permanently broken escalators of the trainContinue reading “June 2019 Insights”

Liberation

By: Gabriela Yareliz Sometimes, life feels like some weird social experiment. Have you noticed? People seem to get less caring and crazier, by the minute. And by crazy, I don’t mean funny-cute-wild, but reckless-not appreciating-consequences-and-mental-health-issue crazy. Life on this sinful planet can make us a bit crazy. Life’s pain and unpredictability can leave us likeContinue reading “Liberation”

Spring

By: Gabriela Yareliz Somehow, I ended up in that train car. It’s one I seldom end up on. It’s the one that starts in the Upper East Side and goes to Brooklyn filled with young, hip, beautiful people. You have the friends who are chatty and distracted, standing at the poll, giggling every time theyContinue reading “Spring”

Why We Remember

By: Gabriela Yareliz Call me crazy, but I love slowness in my own solitary moments. Maybe, this is because I strive to be efficient and productive in my work life. A slow morning is therapeutic, and I savor it. I love being mindful in “ordinary” moments, whether it’s feeling water rushing over my hands, asContinue reading “Why We Remember”