I Belived.

That you cannot make someone love you All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them. That no matter how much I care, Some people just don't care back. That it takes years to build up trust, And only seconds to destroy it. That it's not what you have in your life But who you have in your life that counts. That you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something. That you shouldn't compare yourself To the best others can do. But to the best you can do. That it's not what happens to people that's important. It's what they do about it. That you can do something in an instant That will give you heartache for life. That no matter how thin you slice it, There are always two sides. That it's taking me a long time to become The person I want to be. That it's a lot easier To react than it is to think. That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them. That you can keep going long after you think you can't. That we are responsible for what we do, No matter how we feel. That either you control your attitude Or it controls you. That regardless of how hot and steamy A relationship is at first, The passion fades and there had better be Something else to take its place. That heroes are the people who do what has to be done When it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences. That learning to forgive takes practice. That there are people who love you dearly, But just don't know how to show it. That money is a lousy way of keeping score. That my best friend and I can do anything Or nothing and have the best time. That sometimes the people you expect To kick you when you're down Will be the ones to help you get back up. That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel. That true friendship continues to grow, Even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love. That just because someone doesn't love you The way you want them to Doesn't mean they don't love you With all they have... That maturity has more to do with What types of experiences you've had And what you've learned from them And less to do with how many Birthdays you've celebrated. That you should never tell a child Their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, And what a tragedy it would be if they believed it. That your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, But people you aren't related to Can take care of you and love you And teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological. That no matter how good a friend is, They're going to hurt you every once in a while And you must forgive them for that. That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself. That no matter how bad your heart is broken The world doesn't stop for your grief. That our background and circumstances May have influenced who we are, But we are responsible for who we become. That sometimes when my friends fight, I'm forced to choose sides even when I don't want to. That just because two people argue, It doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, It doesn't mean they do. That sometimes you have to put the individual Ahead of their actions. That we don't have to change friends If we understand that friends change. That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever. That two people can look at the exact same thing And see something totally different. That no matter how you try to protect your children, They will eventually get hurt And you will hurt in the process. That there are many ways of falling and staying in love. That no matter the consequences, Those who are honest with themselves Get farther in life. That no matter how many friends you have, If you are their pillar you will feel lonely and lost At the times you need them most. That your life can be changed in a matter of hours By people who don't even know you. That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help. That writing, as well as talking, Can ease emotional pains. That the paradigm we live in Is not all that is offered to us. That credentials on the wall do not Make you a decent human being. That the people you care most about in life Are taken from you too soon. That although the word "LOVE" Can have many different meanings, It loses value when overly used. That it's hard to determine where to draw the line Between being nice and not hurting people's feelings And standing up for what you believe

Barbeque With Sheep Meat. (Barbacoa)

We make this Barbacoa in Mexico on special occasions like Christmas day and family reunions. Barbacoa is a traditional dish in Mexico made from sheep meat. Barbacoa is especially hard to make, men of the family do it because it has many steps to follow.

First the men of the family, my grandfather and uncles go to the farm to choose a big fat sheep. After they choose the sheep, my uncles slaughter it in the backyard of the house and my grandfather take the skin off and clean it completely to prepare it for cooking.

After the sheep is ready to cook, my uncles make a hole in the ground. They put rocks and logs in the hole and light a fire. They wait until the rocks are very hot like an oven. My grandfather and uncles put palm fronds over the hole. After this my grandfather put the sheep carcass on the top of the palm fronds that are supported by the rocks cover it with avocado leaves for seasoning and flavor. We cover again with palm fronds and we put a “petate” (palm frond screen) on the top. After that we cover with dirt and cook from 3 to 4 hours.

When the Barbacoa is ready to eat, we take it out of the hole and we put it on a big platter to be cut into pieces. And finally we star eating barbacoa with corn tortillas to add a delicious flavor; you can put jalapenos, salsa or guacamole. It’s very delicious. This is how we make barbacoa in Mexico.

My Uncle’s Lung Cancer

In 1990, my uncle was diagnosed with lung cancer he been smoking and drinking all of his life. He went to Rehabilitation 2 times a week to stop drinking and quit smoking. He gave up cigarettes and smoked less everyday it was very difficult for him to stop that, but he finally quit completely.

He faced many challenges with this illness one of the most difficult was when he had surgery. The doctors said that they had to do it right away because the cancer was in a very advanced stage. The procedure for this surgery for the doctors to open his neck and make a hole in his throat. They put a tube in his neck that was connected to his stomach. The doctors said that he would no be able to eat regular food, anymore only liquids.

My family and I we stared to feed him with liquids and saline solution. My mother helped him and gave him support. He had chemotherapy 2 times a week to beat the cancer. This was very painful for him because they put a lot quimicals to his body that cause dryness and bruises to his skin.

After these 2 years of chemotherapy doctors said that they can’t do anything else to cure his cancer. My uncle died in December 31 of 1991. I hope one day they find the cure for cancer.