Tuesday, October 6, 2009

In memoriam

This weekend was pretty relaxing overall. I started my mornings with a walk followed by a 30minute run and had the rest of the day to enjoy some “Idalia time”. For about two weeks now I have been getting up in the morning and going for a walk/run. During my walk from home to the park I break down my time to the following: 10 minutes of breathing exercises, 10 minutes of acknowledging what I am grateful for, and about 10 minutes doing a voice recording about what I am going to get accomplished that day, what my day is going to look like/how I am going to feel when everything is done. It was a bit tough at first but I have really noticed a big difference in my attitude toward life. I am so grateful to God, family, friends, coworkers, mentors, mentees, the CTA drivers, the world, you name it and I have mentioned them.

It is with my new found sense of gratefulness that I have been attending a Novena for a young man that was killed on September 20th.  His family is from the same town my family is from...Chupicuaro,Michoacan(more about Chupi in a future blog entry). 

In all seriousness, below is the news clipping for the young man who was killed by a drunk driver:

September 20, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A Chicago man is facing multiple charges after a deadly traffic accident on the city's Southwest Side.
Carlos Chavez, 30, of the 1600 block of W. 21st St. was killed after his vehicle collided with a truck at 2200 S. Cermak on Saturday. Authorities say he was pronounced dead at Stein Institute.
According to Chicago police, the driver of the truck, 35-year-old Roberto M. Torres, was arrested and charged Sunday with DUI, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failure to stop at a solid red signal, reckless homicide and leaving the scene of accident.
Both Torres and a 20-year-old female passenger were treated for minor injuries at Chicago area hospitals.


I did not know this person but his death has changed my life. How?

1. I will not drink and drive. Time to start up the cab fund!

2. I will try my hardest to prevent friends from drinking and driving

3. His death brought me closer to my family and I also got to meet my Godmother for the first time since I was a child. Someone said that death brings people together and I never thought about it that way but I also saw cousins that I haven’t seen in over two months.

4. I am so grateful for everything that I have and even for that that I don’t because maybe I am not meant to have it yet.

5. It has reignited my spirituality

6. It made me more aware of my own mortality and the reality that you are not promised tomorrow

7. It has made me more compassionate

8. It made me realize that I have so much I still want to do and I need to do it NOW!

9. I have so much pride for my culture

10. I have seen the strength that God gives all of us. It was no more apparent than in the parents of Carlos(Dona Olga and Don Blas) this last weekend when the Novena wrapped up.

I know this may seem like a sad blog entry but I hope you take it as a learning blog entry instead. We do not have to experience something first hand to learn from it. Don’t drink and drive!!  Don't let friends do it!!

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