I see you
Dear women of Guatemala, You are seen.
Dear men of Guatemala, we see you.
Dear niños y niñas, He sees you.
Dear Guatemala, I see you.
I see you all.
I see the mothers carrying their little ones on their backs. I see you women balancing the baskets on your heads. I see you working hard making tortillas. I see your joy. I see you when you’re on the bus on your way home, falling asleep from being so exhausted. I see you. You do not go unnoticed and you are loved. I see you carrying your very large bags and carrying a baby on your back and hold your other little ones hand all at once. I see you. I see you women trying to do well for your families. I see your work and you need to know it matters. You matter.
Men of Guatemala. I see you. I see your hard work. I see your willingness to help others. Chicken bus men, I see you. I see how hard you all work. I see you guys climb to the top of the buses as they are driving full speed to get peoples stuff off the top. I see you. I see you guys working in your black dress shoes. To the mechanics, I see you guys covered head to toe in grease but still powering through the days. I see hurt in some of your eyes. I am sorry to most of you. I am sorry that many of you stopped school around 6th grade because you needed to go work. I am sorry that many of you turned to drugs. I am sorry that some of you are in gangs because that’s all you know. I am sorry and I see you. I see the want in some of your eyes. I see the dreams and wishes in your eyes. I see it and I want you to know it isn’t too late. It is not too late.
Niños y niñas you are seen. I see you walk to school. I see you eagerly ready to learn. Some of you I see young, very young and already working. I see you trying to sell gum and peanuts on chicken buses and jumping out the back door of the bus right before we drive off. I see you guys wearing traditional dress from your villages. I see you guys laugh and play. Little ones, I see the love in your eyes. I see your smiles. I see you want to help your family. I see your hearts through so much. I am sorry little ones. I am sorry so many of you think you aren’t capable. I am sorry that people have spoken into your lives that you can’t be a ballerina or the president. I am sorry some of you will have to stop going to school after 6th grade to start to work. To the ones who stopped school before then, I see you. You still have the ability to make those dreams of yours come true. You do. I am so proud of you all. I am proud of your hard work. I am proud of your eagerness and willingness. I am proud and I see you.
I see you Guatemala. I see you family of three who sit on the side of the street in Antigua with the little baby. I see you all. I hear you guys. Tienda owners, I see you! I also thank you for all the food 🙂 You are needed. Baristas, police, little shop owners, street food sellers, you all matter so much. You are all so needed. With or without that job you own, you are still needed. To the man who plants all the grass on the base. You rock. I see all your hard work and I can’t believe how much work you do in a day. I see you. You hard pant every piece of grass. Thank you for all you do. You are all seen, you are all loved and you are all so strong. You all amaze me. You all inspire me. I see your hard work and I admire how hard you all work. Thank you Guatemala. Thank you women, men and niños y niñas. Thank you Guatemala for all the love my heart has felt while being here.
