The House That Built Me

<p>The sweet perfume of diesel fuel hung heavy in the air &hellip; so heavy I could almost taste it. The silence of the morning as I stood on the second-floor balcony of a remodeled casa particular &mdash; a modern-day Cuban version of a Bed and Breakfast &mdash; was broken only by the call of &ldquo;Panadero!&rdquo; as the bread man peddled his wares along the nearly-deserted street.</p> <p>It&rsquo;s a sound that touched my heart as, for the first time in my life, the story my mom told of my dad&rsquo;s early days as a panadero in Habana unfolded before my eyes. It&rsquo;s just one of dozens of stories she has shared with me in the 62 years since we left the island nation.</p> <p>For ten days in April of 2016, I experienced those stories in person. Past and present merged as I found myself inside a tunnel where time stood still.</p> <p>My 10-day journey &mdash; only 90 miles from home &mdash; took me to the place I&rsquo;d been searching for all my life. I&rsquo;ve traversed the world to find myself, not realizing that what I was seeking was a 25-minute wheels-up-to-wheels-down trip from home. In reality, however, it was even closer than that.</p> <blockquote> <p>I thought if I could touch this place or feel it, this brokenness inside me might start healing &mdash; Miranda Lambert.</p> </blockquote> <h1>Let&rsquo;s Go To Cuba</h1> <p>It&rsquo;s a trip I never thought I would make &hellip; at least not while my parents were alive. I was half right. In 1961, my folks risked everything they had to come to the United States, seeking a better life for themselves and me. I always felt that going back to the island would be a slap in the face.</p> <p>On April 16, 2015, destiny stepped in to change that. On that day, my dad&rsquo;s spirit completed his journey on earth&mdash;at least this time around. One year to the day, we brought him back home.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/mystic-minds/the-house-that-built-me-be5482cc6d5b"><strong>Read More</strong></a></p>
Tags: House built