Welcome to my collection of stories, memories, and moments. Some are inspired by real life, others by imagination, and a few are simply thoughts captured before they disappear. I hope they make your leisure time a little more meaningful.

tears And broken crystals

A woman's Memoir 

Chapter 1

I think I will never meet another woman like my mother. She is a woman who causes all kinds of feelings in me. Admiration, confusion, pride, frustration… but above all, something deeper that is difficult to explain. What amazes me most about her is her natural ability to be both a mother and a father at the same time. She carried both roles without hesitation, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She cared for us and did all sorts of amazing things in our eyes just to provide for us. She tried to teach us the best judgement she could, especially with two cultures running through our blood. Even though she herself did not share that mixed background, she respected it and embraced it more fully than anyone else I have ever known. 

I imagine her as a very smart and stubborn young woman with big expectations. A free spirit with the perfection of what society considered a beautiful woman, a very relevant characteristic attached to this concept. She was perfect, and had everything… 

The European upbringing was full of happy moments, families were bound together and dedicated their life to their children, letting them be free enough to live the adventures life has to offer and making memories that would shape their future. The days were long, parents wanted the best for their children, neighbours had the decency to treat others the way they wanted to be treated. Society was more efficient and common sense was a standard quality in every home. It is only fair to say that people knew about someone’s profession or state of mind by looking at them. There was a serious and deep meaning of the word ‘respect’, and everybody wanted to be a positive role model to others, because that meant that your parents raised you well, and back then, honour and pride was achieved by the amount of integrity you carried and not how much money you thought you had in your pocket. 

When mum was a teenager, schools had more complex and meaningful education programs. Students attended class from monday till saturday, you were expected to wear your full uniform from morning to evening, especially when going out, with the intention of letting the community know that you were a minor and keep their eyes on you. This was the best tracking system, fully proof with accuracy for parents because they knew where their children were and what they were up to. 

Mum’s parents and siblings were well known in town for their businesses, and for my grandmother’s beauty. They lived so well that there was no need for them to go shopping for clothing, the family had its own seamstress that made their  unique clothing. The same was for any  piece of jewellery, with every item spatially designed for the lady of the house. For other items, a merchant delivered supplies and food every few weeks, so the family had no other things to do but enjoy the family life and travel. My grandfather enjoyed traveling and when he had the opportunity, he enjoyed taking my mother to the best places in France. They both shared the same interest in history, languages, food, science and art. During those trips and because of the beautiful memories my mother had, there was when her love for fashion began.  During their travels she learnt to speak French and etiquette. Exploring education in different places, from libraries to the iconic patisseries and cafes in Paris.

to be continued...