I remember that I wanted to go to the Soka Spirit Conference at the Florida Nature and Culture Center (FNCC) in Weston, Florida. I was still in the young women’s division when I went. I remember that a women’s division leader had encourage me to come back for the Soka Spirit Conference. I remember thinking to myself, “Why did she say that?” And I ended up not coming back to that particular conference for many years. The Soka Spirit Conference is about how to practice Nichiren Buddhism correctly.
I always like going to the Florida Nature and Culture Center. I have been there many times over my 24 years of practice. Every time I go it feels like the first time I have gone. I look at the campus with fresh eyes even though I am a regular for their conferences. I try to attend at least once a year. I have signed up for the Spanish Language Conference this year. I will attend from Friday, September 19th to Monday, September 22nd. It’s always a four-day conference. I will have to take time off without pay and it is worth it. I started a new job on April 28th. I had five vacation days. Unfortunately, I needed to use most of them when Bill and I lost his mother last month.
I am looking forward to the conference. I had decided last year, that when I returned to FNCC I would be completely bilingual. Well, I am not there yet, and the conference is only two months away. I need to step up my game. I do have people I can practice my Spanish with. I wish I could practice Spanish with my mom. We talk just about every day. I will talk to her in Spanish, and she responds in English. She shared that talking to me in Spanish doesn’t feel natural to her. But I will keep on trying and hope that one day she will begin talking to me in Spanish. My dad will talk to me in Spanish, but I don’t talk to him as much as I talk to my mom.
When I was working at the Alzheimer’s Association, I was involved in planning the first Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade. I did some of the public relations for the group. I remember one of the organizers had a party at his house in Lancaster. I didn’t go. I didn’t want to drive out to Lancaster. I know that is a lame excuse. Most of the organizers went to the party. I did regret not going but there was nothing I could do about it. I remember that most of the organizers were officially recognized for their contribution to the parade. Unfortunately, I was excluded, and it felt like a slap in the face. I felt rejected. And I felt rejected by the Puerto Rican community. It reinforced for me the feeling that I didn’t belong.
I remember one of the organizers was talking about his wife. He shared that when they first met, she was not very Puerto Rican. He bragged that now that isn’t the case and that she is very Puerto Rican indeed. I thought to myself that is kind of crummy. He didn’t accept her for the way she was when they first met. He felt like he needed to change her. I guess the flip side of that is that she went along with it. So, I guess it must have been what she wanted.
I started listening to Latino music several years ago. I love Marc Anthony and Jesse and Joy. Marc Anthony is a Puerto Rican singer from the Bronx and Jesse and Joy are a pop duo from Mexico City. I really enjoy listening to both of them. The funny thing is that I didn’t always listen to music in Spanish. As I have gotten older, I have wanted to make more of a connection with Latino culture. When I was in my teens until my 30s, I listened to alternative music. I loved The Cure, Duran Duran, The Thompson Twins and Orchestral Manuevers in the Dark known as OMD. My first concert was seeing the Thompson Twins and OMD. My dad allowed my sister Maggi and I to go, but he insisted that he accompany us. Boy did he regret that. He got as far away as he could and still be in the concert hall. He hated the music and decided never again.