We All Have It In Us....

A good person can make another person good;

 it means that goodness will elicit goodness in the 

society; other persons will also be good...

I don't know many people to whom this would apply, 

but the first person that comes to my mind is my dad.  I have

 said it once and I will never tire of saying it.  My dad is 

a special individual.  Unselfish and kind to the point

 where it is sometimes not to his advantage.

When we were younger, we lived for a few years with my

 grandmother while my parents sought a better life for us. 

 My mom would tell us that every time the ice-cream van

 passed my dad would gather all the little kids in the

 neighborhood and treat them to ice-cream  Once a week.  

She said they were missing us so much, they just 

felt good to be able to see these little kids happy

 while they worked on getting us with them.

I remember my parents did not have much when we 

were younger, but according to my dad there were many

 who were worse off than they were so when a friend of

 his told him what a beautiful watch he had my dad took it

 off his wrist and gave it to his friend, and the way 

he put it was, "he needed it more than I did." 

 I once remember he also gave another man the shirt 

off his back because the man liked it and had never seen 

any like that before. My mom was not always happy at this

 because they worked hard and saved for all the things 

they had and which at times my dad just gave

 to any stranger who was in need.

My dad has not changed much.  In North Carolina

 where they now live he goes to the dump daily.  

He always makes sure to take food and clothes to

 the man who works there because, "he looks like he

 can use it."  As he tells my mom, "Valerie it is as 

easy to cook for two as it is for three people."

My dad is unique, but it is my mom who is always 

by his side always standing by him and the one 

who loves him for all his "craziness"   If anyone 

deserves a medal, definitely it would be her.

I know I am a good person and I know that it

 is from watching my parents be kind to each other,

 and to everyone that crosses their paths.

We all have our own specialness within us.

  Sometimes it is only a matter of finding it.  I believe

 in love, children and being a good person. 

Nowadays, I could not care less about making

 other people like me. I'm a good person, 

I don't need to do that anymore... 

~Nadiya~

Wednesday September 15th ~ NC

Give yourself time just to be with yourself...

Somehow being in North Carolina makes one forget 

about the stresses in life, even if it's for just a few days.

  It's all I need.  A few days to recharge and to spend

 some very much needed time with my parents.

For the next few days it will be relaxing times.  

My sisters and I always look forward to these days spent 

with our parents in North Carolina.  It brings a little of our 

childhood back into our lives. There is no one in the world

 like my mom and dad, and for that we are the lucky ones.

If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make

 a mark on the world that can’t be erased...

~Nadiya~

NC ~ September 14th

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed, I hope 

you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance... 

A few days away from Puerto Rico is really what

 I needed right now.  No better place to be than at my 

mom and dad's home in North Carolina.  It's peaceful. 

 It's calming, and right now I need it so very much.

For a few days no cooking no taking care of anyone. 

 Just relaxing and being pampered.  Nothing wrong with that,

 and there is no one who does it better than my parents.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the

 ocean, Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

~Nadiya~

Monday September 13th ~

 It takes a moment to make memories and a lifetime to forget them...

As the new week begins, our family welcomes it with 2 birthdays. 

 My nephew Sachin and my sister Nirvana.  We celebrated with 

Nirvana, Kimsy and J on Saturday.  Same restaurant as we did 

last year.  Once again we were lucky all five of us were there.

I am grateful for every minute we get to spend with my sister, 

J and Kimsy.  I know one day we will go back home.  I will

 forever have the memories and the pictures to remind us of 

these times.  Two years, two birthdays, who knows maybe

 a third birthday in the future in PR?  Only time will tell.

Each day of our lives we make deposits

 in the memory banks of our loved ones...

~Nadiya~

Sunday Vibes ~

Live as though life was created for you...

The wind is HOWLING outside.  It's been

 ages since we experienced this kind of weather 

here in Fajardo.  Finally we have it 😑

Feels like a hurricane and the sliding doors are rocking. 

 Sniff is not happy.  He's just going in circles.  But 

he always get's lots of love and reassurances.

Sunday.  Today we stay, good since it seems as if we 

will be having rain for most of the day if not week. 

 Have not had rain in ages, so that's OK.

Wishing everyone a good day.  A day to "relax" 

is always needed and always appreciated.

Love life. Engage in it. Give it all you’ve got.

 Love it with a passion because life truly does give 

back, many times over, what you put into it...

~Nadiya~

America Remembers: 20 Years later ~

 They could not crush our spirits.  If we learn 

nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life

 is short and there is no time for hate...

Last night as we were watching the news, it was all

 about America Remembers :20 years later. 9/11. The attack 

on democracy 20 years ago.  It’s always so very emotional. 

Seeing and hearing the stories of survivors and of families 

of those perished in this terrible tragedy.

It also brought back a memory to me.  A memory 

tucked far and deep away inside of me.  You see 

many years ago, way before 9/11 I spent a couple of 

nights at the Marriott the World Trade Center Hotel.

My first marriage took place in NYC in the 

private chambers of a federal judge in Manhattan.  

I worked part time at the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals

 in NYC  and my then soon to be husband also did. He knew 

all the judges and we were married by the senior judge.

That was a small ceremony with just my family and

 my husbands. The really big Indian ceremony took

 place two days later. Over a hundred people

 were there. One of the most amazing time.

It was at the World Trade Center that I had my first 

Mimosa for breakfast and the most amazing brunch.  I was 

young and for me it was all a first.  I was totally in awe of 

the hotel, room service, brunch and yes the mimosas.

It was known as The Marriott World Trade Center.  It was

 a 22-story, 825-room hotel at 3 World Trade Center within the

 World Trade Center complex in Manhattan, New York City. 

It opened in April 1981 as the Vista International Hotel

 and was the first major hotel to open in Lower 

Manhattan south of Canal Street since 1836.

 It was destroyed beyond repair as a result of the

 September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, due to structural

 damage caused by the collapse of the Twin Towers.

 The hotel was not replaced as part of the new

 World Trade Center complex.

Sometimes I stop and reflect on my life.  I has been

 quite an interesting one.  Still is.  I have had a lot of good times, 

and I still do.  Also like everyone else there has been times

 not so good.  Life.  You take the good with the bad.

9/11 has shown us what Americans are capable of.  

When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing 

is impossible. We’re not about what happened on

 9/11. We’re about what happened on 9/12.

“The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our 

spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. 

We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic 

and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life.

 We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom...”

—Then-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani

~Nadiya~

Friday Feels ~

 Hay veces que en la vida perdemos la esperanzaa 
veces es, reír,también llorarvivir es una carta por jugar 
naufraga nuestra barca y nuestro amor.  Vivir a veces

es reir, tambien llorar, vivir es una carta por jugar...

The kitties that remain still trust me.  Even after 

I spent hours and hours trying to trap them so that they can

 be adopted.  MacGyver was the most difficult one to trap.

  I have tons of scars to prove it.  MacGyver, Marbles

 and Spitfire were at one time adopted, but returned.  

MacGyver still comes to me all the time as does 
Marbles and Spitfire.  They hold no grudges towards me 
and they trust me.  I love them all.  Slowly the cats are 
"disappearing".  I never know which kitty would
 no longer greet me in the mornings.  

I have a very bad feeling that something has happened

 to Milo also.  He has not been seen for over a week,  and 

recently Milo has never been missing out on foodies in

 the mornings.  Everyday I am a little more broken 😿.

It's the start of the weekend. Hot! Hot! Hot weather in our prognosis.

Would really love a little touch of cooler temperatures for a change.

Sniff is cool as a cucumber.  Not a worry in the world 💙

Vivir a veces es, perder, también ganar
vivir es un mañana que esperar.

~Nadiya~

Thursday September 9th ~

Love life. Engage in it. Give it all you’ve got. Love it
 with a passion because life truly does give back, 

many times over, what you put into it...

 Woke up to this.  Not too shabby.

Sniff has decided he's not ready to face the new day as yet. 

 Still asleep, but at the same time he's keeping an eye on both 

of us.  Just incase we do something and he needs to check it out.

We are having extremely hot days.  The heat
 is getting to me.  same as it does in Florida.

May your day be filled with all things good.

If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make

 a mark on the world that can’t be erased...

~Nadiya~

Wednesday September 8th ~

 Give yourself time just to be with yourself...

Wednesday.  Already halfway through the week.  

Our week is not that busy, but today we do have a 

chore to do so that is always good.  Makes the

 day more interesting and time goes by fast.

I now go out every other morning to feed the kitties.

  That is, the ones that are still here.  Bandit no longer shows up,

and I know that the kitty that was poisoned last week was Bandit. 

 He was last seen and fed by me on Monday August 30th. 

 I still can't understand why someone is doing this.

   Seeing his little face in these pictures is breaking my heart.

A sad fact is that with life comes death. It will happen to all of us.

 But that doesn’t make dealing with or understanding it any easier.

Develop enough courage so that you can stand up 

for yourself and then stand up for somebody else...

~Nadiya~

Tuesday September 7th ~

 The need for change bulldozed 
a road down the center of my mind...

I have a good life.  I have what I need.  I have family 

and friends I can count on.  I have Arvid and Sniff 

always there by my side, yet some days it feels 

as if I just want to hideaway from everything.

Yes, I think I have a touch of the blues.  Will give Sniff 

some extra brushing and extra love today.  He is always 

my happy place, and sure makes my day brighter.  With 

him and Arvid everything is going to be all right.

Do the best you can do till you know better. 

Then, when you know better, do better...

~Nadiya~