Stories from South Texas: La Esquela

This is Brownsville High School, which I attended many years ago. I knew a lot of nice kids back then, but I lost touch with all but a couple folks. I would not mind reliving that time with all that I know now. I wonder what that would be like? That is why it is so important to make the best of each day we have...savor in the moment and try to live it well, because it will be a memorial of your past.

I had lots of love interests in those three years I spent there, but I was too shy to act. In my senior year of high school, I finally got brave and began dating my best friend's sister, he couldn't understand what I saw in her. Her name was Josie, and cute as can be. I went off to college in another state after graduation and we wrote to each other and had nice visits when I came home for the holidays. At the end of my freshman year in college I received a "Dear John" letter from Josie...stating that though she loved me a lot, my aspirations and goals were way beyond what she sought for her life and preferred the life of a small town. We never saw each other again.

It wasn't until years later that I understood her decision - most of us growing up in predominately Mexican-American communities had little hope of our going away to college or college. Many of my friends after high school either got married and went to work at local businesses or joined the armed forces. There were not many options. My pursuits were out of the norm for Josie and I think she could not see beyond what she knew and had transpired with her family. Though there is more to this story, regarding what Josie told me, essentially her decision was based on historical options. I went on, obtained by bachelors degree, masters, completed work on my Ph.D. and obtained an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

I recently told this story to a friend who still lives in the Latino community and she indicated that my story is still reality for many members. I really hope Josie's life embraced newer horizons as she grew older, but mostly I hope she had a happy life regardless of her choices. Here is a song for you Josie: