wish I'd written this, but I don't know who to attribute it to...posted on forum pertaining to Oaxaca:
Mexico: A Cautionary Tale
I was warned.
Repeatedly.
Warned.
So many times it lost its potency.
Warned.
By well-meaning friends
living in "safe" gated communities with armed guards
By acquaintances
who have never been here
By media reports
glamorizing and spreading alarm
Who have a different definition of danger. And of what
constitutes safety.
Stupid me!
I didn't listen
to any of it.
Adventurous, perhaps with a death wish,
I didn't look.
Worse.
I wasn't careful.
And…
In "dangerous" Mexico,
I was robbed.
Stupid, stupid me!
Yes, Mexico…
stole from me…
A smile.
At first.
And then,
they got bolder
and took…
A laugh.
and bolder still, they ran off with…
my poor self-image.
Which turned into a larger felony: They took …
time
to fill me with compliments!
Telling me
repeatedly
how wonderful it is…
to be a woman
of experience.
Who smiles.
Who laughs.
Repeatedly.
Time after time. Again and again.
Until
finally, I believed them.
As I was smiling and laughing, and actually trusting myself,
They had the nerve to go and pick-pocket my lingering self-doubts,
my well-nurtured insecurities including
my belief that "real beauty" was limited to youth…
While I was still reeling in shock,
from having been robbed,
and pick-pocketed
Mexicans took
the opportunity to kill my previous ideas of what constituted
"hospitality" ,
replacing it with a generosity
that
is frightening
to even try to emulate,
yet so, so fortunate to know.
See how really dangerous Mexico is?
And it got even worse!
I hadn't recovered from such brutal behavior, when
they committed another truly horrible,
almost unspeakable
crime.
They gave me hope and optimism.
Repeatedly.
About who I was.
About who I could be.
About who we could be together.
Amongst wrapping me in love and force-feeding me laughter and
compliments and
smothering me in generosity
and unfathomably fabulous hospitality,
I was rendered helpless.
Utterly
helpless.
Stupid, stupid, stupid me.
I did not cry for help
or
run away.
Mexico took complete advantage of my situation and committed the
biggest atrocity of all. Once again, they stole …
my heart –
and my soul.
Now I'm so scared -
deeply, utterly terrified -
that I cannot return the favor.
Never happier,
I steal away…
to wish
this kind of "danger" on everyone.chuckie - 9-27-2014 at 09:56 AM
That is excellent....I think many of us have suffered the same fate...Baja got to me in 1956.......No better place....No better people..Thanks Thanks!DENNIS - 9-27-2014 at 09:56 AM
Truly the most sensible perspective on such risks ...
woody with a view - 9-27-2014 at 10:51 AM
i guess i'm guilty, too!Sweetwater - 9-27-2014 at 01:09 PM
Reminded me of a blues song.....thanks, great song, great reminder.....probably crosses over nicely.....
ROBERT CRAY
"I Was Warned"
(Robert Cray & Dennis Walker)
Oh, I was warned about her love
But like a fool I went on
Whether they're right or wrong
At least the mystery is gone
The more people talked about her
The more I had to see
I had to find out for myself
What could she do for me
Her lips were so inviting
Her hands soft to touch
After just one kiss
I knew I was out of luck
From then on I was hers to control
And knowing that, she robbed me
Of my heart and robbed me of my soul
Oh I was warned about her love
And I'll have to stay strong
Whether they're right or wrong
At least the mystery is gone
From then on I was hers to control
And knowing that she robbed me of my heart
And robbed me of my soul, yeah
Oh I was warned about her love
But like a fool I went on
Whether they're right or wrong
At least the mystery is gone
She had a left hand filled with diamonds
And the other filled with lies
She saw right through me
There was no p[lace to hide
Now I've finally learned my lesson
But you'll never tell
The pain her love left me
I hide so well
I go on day by day in fear
And knowing that I'll never, never love again
Only brings tears
Oh I was warned about her love
And I'll have to stay strong
Whether they're right or they're wrong
At least the mystery is gone
Whether they're right or wrong
At least the mystery is gone
I was warned about her loveMulegeAL - 9-27-2014 at 02:37 PM
As I finished paying Alfredo for his help cleaning out my place we were discussing the big picture here.
He said "Mulege is a decision of the heart." Made a grown man cry, he did!chuckie - 9-27-2014 at 03:00 PM
It is, isnt it...thanks Al, for that....bajabuddha - 9-27-2014 at 03:12 PM
Ged, was that breakfast at Janine's?TLBaja79 - 9-27-2014 at 06:13 PM
motoged, Where did you find those pancakes?Timo1 - 9-27-2014 at 06:48 PM
What am doing in Baja AGAIN ??dasubergeek - 9-27-2014 at 09:37 PM
I love it.
Mexico is the place where, upon seeing that we were in a rental Tsuru, the residents of Zapotlanejo, Jal. sent guides to get us through an anti-toll
road protest.
Mexico is the place where if you break down, someone will stop—and he will probably know how to fix your car for you if you don't.
Mexico is the place where, after I had to flee Guatemala due to anti-student violence, I was given shelter and food by chiapanecos who couldn't afford
it but gave it anyway.
The worst thing that's ever happened to me in Mexico was getting ripped off by a taxi driver in Guadalajara—and a passerby lit into him for ripping
off tourists.motoged - 9-27-2014 at 10:21 PM
The Happy Pancakes were for Christmas breakfast at the Equipales Restaurant, Mulege BajaNomad - 9-27-2014 at 10:21 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by MulegeAL
big picture here... "Mulege is a decision of the heart."
Bajahowodd - 9-28-2014 at 04:00 PM
Since 1983, have never been subjected to any violence or crime traveling both Baja and the mainland.grace59 - 9-29-2014 at 05:51 AM
Darn, now I'm all misty-eyed and longing to be in Baja more than ever! I think that we all have found some place in Baja to be "a decision of the
heart". My head is here in WA because I have my job and this is where I have to be now...logically, but my heart is in Baja...it is under my skin and
they place that makes me feel "right".
