I feel like I have lost a part of myself in the past two days, with the death of two great men who had a profound impact on me.
To Howard Zinn, who taught me to perceive history as the work of the people, and not always men in suits.
To JD Salinger, for helping me survive my teen years, for understanding me indirectly, through your stories about the eccentric Glass family, for making me passionate about writing, enough to honor you by wanting to name my child Zooey, after the character in Franny and Zooey, for helping me portray this passion by wanting to analyze things, despite it being something I didn't understand, as I was too young, for a 9th grade paper, on 9 stories (I chose "A Perfect Day for Bananafish")
Thank you for inspiring me.
If Gabo is next, I won't leave my room.
May you rest in peace, and never forget how many people's lives you've changed.
I love you.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Sunday, 17 January 2010
My return to Peru was to be one of the most important trips in my life, and now that I look back on it, it was. One of my dreams as a child was to climb to the top of Machu Picchu, and I actually did it. It never really hit me until a few days ago: I've accomplished SO many things for someone so young. I've seen so much of this world and hope to continue to do so.
In light of this, it breaks my heart to write that today, Chile elected it's first right wing leader in 52 years; since the disastrous, malicious, and terrible reign of Pinochet, who massacred over 3,000 people without a second thought. Apparently, in the streets of Santiago, "Chi-chi-chi-le-le-lé, Viva Chile y pinochet, éste triunfo es para usté" can be heard. How painful, how devastating, yet how real. All of this just a few days after a museum was dedicated to the atrocities committed during that time period, to mourn the death and disappearance of those never fully recognised, of those never found.
It is just like Neruda said, that when he condemns imperialism or something detrimental to his native land, it not only rings true of Chile, but of all of Latin America; that when one Latin American country hurts, they all do. This is why this news is insufferable to me, shocking, and sad.
These past few weeks have been nearly unendurable. I haven't felt so underwhelmed in so long. I find my aspirations changing, my fears that once sunk below my flesh rising to the top, seeping through my skin, able to be read on my face.
and yet, we must all go on.
In light of this, it breaks my heart to write that today, Chile elected it's first right wing leader in 52 years; since the disastrous, malicious, and terrible reign of Pinochet, who massacred over 3,000 people without a second thought. Apparently, in the streets of Santiago, "Chi-chi-chi-le-le-lé, Viva Chile y pinochet, éste triunfo es para usté" can be heard. How painful, how devastating, yet how real. All of this just a few days after a museum was dedicated to the atrocities committed during that time period, to mourn the death and disappearance of those never fully recognised, of those never found.
It is just like Neruda said, that when he condemns imperialism or something detrimental to his native land, it not only rings true of Chile, but of all of Latin America; that when one Latin American country hurts, they all do. This is why this news is insufferable to me, shocking, and sad.
These past few weeks have been nearly unendurable. I haven't felt so underwhelmed in so long. I find my aspirations changing, my fears that once sunk below my flesh rising to the top, seeping through my skin, able to be read on my face.
and yet, we must all go on.
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