I Can't Imagine

I have a pretty good imagination, I mean look at my online profiles, I love the Einstein quote about creativity being more important than knowledge. But this year as I get one year older there is one thing I just can't imagine, and this years political talk on immigration is what got me thinking about it a lot more lately.

It was Christmas 1984, my family was here in the USA visiting my moms family, and my parents, exactly my age now, made the decision not to return home. They were 38/39, had three kids, my mom was pregnant, we had a dog named Tony back in Bolivia, my dad had parents and four brothers, a nice little house, small business... and we didn't go back (technically my parents went back to sell everything, but we never "went back").

I wrote a blog about it: 1st American Christmas

Well I just turned 38, my life is just like my parents at this age: I have three kids, own a nice house, I run my own business and a non-profit, my wife has a great job, my kids love their schools, we don't have a dog, but pretty much everything else is the same. My life isn't prefect, but it is pretty great I think.

I like to think of myself as mature, and have it all together, but man I can't image right now moving to another country. To a place where I don't know the language, where I don't have my siblings with me, where I will struggle to make it.

The narrative in this country right now about immigrants drives me insane. Like people waltzed over, snagged a high paying job, and conned the government into taking care of their kids needs for them while avoiding paying any taxes. Lets be honest, people want to veil their distaste for immigrants by saying they are anti-illegal immigrants is BS. The only differences between me and undocumented Mexican immigrant is who my dad happened to fall in love with. So don't get it twisted, all of us immigrants are the same. We came to America because there was opportunity here, you know, the opportunities Americans brag about having.  We could work, buy a home, raise a family, and we could celebrate the benefits of being an American.

They say as you get older you appreciate your parents more and more. Well thats true for me, so as I roll one year closer to 40, I grow even more respectful of my parents. My dad didn't speak the language, didn't get to see his brothers or parents for years, and we had to struggle through many obstacles to succeed. Thanks mom and dad, thanks for making me strong and resilient. Thanks to everyone else who has been a part of my 38th rotation around the sun. Ciao.

Edit: to add while I am sharing this for the #ImAlreadyHome campaign... my parents sacrifice now means between their four kids they now have 1 PhD, 3 Masters degrees, 1 nurse, and a small business owner, and most importantly 10 grandkids