Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just dancing through life
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A Smile and and-re-birth
May 6, 2006
Some day someone will look at my birth certificate and see that this was the day that I was re-born.
I came back to Baja yesterday running on empty?mentally and emotionally and really hurting. It was the first time in over 40 years that I left my
birth country, a land that I surely love, and dove back into the country of my heart?and did not feel the release from the stress that had been
building over the past few months. To say that I was hurt and confused would be a vast understatement.
Jesse?s words?"C?mon on Bernie, what?s going on"?kept ringing in my ears. What, indeed! Did I want to be here? I really didn?t know. I had
promised Keri that I would be at her place for the annual Baja Authors Book Signing and that is what made me come. I was enough of a Mexican to know
that I had given my word and I would keep it. So damn glad that I did.
The day started out dreary, cloudy and windy as we set up our tables that would contain the tales, fables, and downright lies that made up the
recorded story of Baja. Mexicans and Americans who had relied upon each other for more than the day and looked to the future with concern. Here
because we had said that we would be.
I thought back to the day, so many years ago, when Art McLaren introduced me to the lady that was to become my mistress for the rest of my live?Baja!
How do I love her can only be told by the events in my life that I put ahead of her. The day that I married my first, and only real, lover and the
lady who I call ?my life.? The birth of our three kids and all of our grandkids who all have a special place in their hearts for Baja.
Anyway, as the day progresses the sun came out and brought smiles to the faces of most the folks who wandered about Keri?s place. Keri flitted here
and there as she always does in spite of the fact that Mike, her husband , had been in and out of the hospital and doctor offices for the past couple
of days. Watching her do what she does so well most people would never have known that she had very precious few hours of sleep over the last few
days. I noticed?and saw the fatigue that appeared ever so briefly as she sat and softly sighed before she was up and about correcting those small,
little, things that always go wrong when you are the hostess to over two hundred people! Sneaking off to see that Mike was okay at every opportunity
As the day progressed so many Baja people came by and one by one began to refuel my tanks. They took my hand, looked into my eyes and touched my
heart. Their words began to cause a huge smile on my face. They began to heal my emotional wounds and made me see that what I have always said,
?Baja is about Friends helping Friends,? is still so true. Their names don?t matter the fact that they exist and they care is truly most important to
this old guy. They came to my table?where we shook hands, laughed, shared stories of Baja and looked into each other souls. I believe that we all
went away with a smile in our heart and loving the fact that we all loved Baja just as we loved America.
Later in the day as the clouds began to roll in we were entertained by a trio of wonderful guys on the drums and the guitar. I told them that they
sounded like the ?Buena Vista Social Club? to me and that caused great smiles because two of them were from?Cuba! Amazing. As they were playing a
young, four year old girl, claimed the dance floor and entertained us all!
Yep! She just moved to the music and more than that she reminded some of us that a four year old really does understand what is important in live.
She didn?t ask permission nor did she respond to the applause, her dance became even stronger as she celebrated the moment?life?and I really think
that she reminded us of something that many of us somehow had forgotten?LIFE & and the future.
Okay, I came away with a bunch more pesos in my jeans, but more importantly I came away with my emotional tanks recharged thanks to my Baja friends.
All in all a very wonderful day and I will leave you with this story that was told as we sampled everything (ten pounds that I really don?t
need)-------at the potluck.
A Grand Dame, Mindy?s mom, told the story of her dog who was in heat??I even had a diaper on her! That little, crappy, Chihuahua dog just kept
peeing on the front door?I caught them, he was on the curb, and the diaper was gone. A huge smile from the teller and a question?have you ever seen a
Chihuahua ?SMILE!
Thanks to all of you for bringing a smile to my heart!
Love Baja, respect her and her people and love your country?and require that others respect your country?that is in fact what it is all about?respect
and a little love.
Thank you all of my Baja Friends.
[Edited on 5-8-2006 by Baja Bernie]
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
Member Is Offline
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Thank You Bernie!
You bring a Smile to my Heart and a Tear to my Eye.
You inspire my effort to bring to words those same feelings you write so Well!!
Sometimes the answer to the Question"Why? What? ,is it about Baja that brings those many different feelings to our Hearts?
For me "The Sea Of Cortez" and it's People!
As I set here at my computer in the Great Texas Panhandle of Texas, realizing that at last I am "Home", my Heart and mind return to Baja, where
Adventure, love , kindness, still keep my Heart pounding above the Doctors Advice.
Skeet/Loreto
"In God I Trust"
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eetdrt88
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Az/Ca/Baja
Member Is Offline
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back to baja..
alright Bernie thats good news...wished i couldve made it down there but maybe next time
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noproblemo2
Super Nomad
Posts: 1088
Registered: 4-14-2006
Member Is Offline
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Thank you for sharing that Bernie, we all who are on this site feel the same way about Baja, it sinks deep
into our hearts & souls.
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Glad to hear of your rejuvanation of spirit there Bernie. And thanks for taking me thru an event that I always hope to join one and all in the flesh,
but never seem to make it North at the right time. Saludos, Sara
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