Magic Time

It’s been a magical weekend… Or rather I should say, I’ve been in a magical place.

I spent last weekend in Atlixco, a designated “pueblo magico” or magic town - highlighted for its historic architecture and culture. I traveled to Atlixco to visit friends, and it was, indeed, beautiful. Its buildings boasted colors rarely seen in US cities – pinks, purples, and, like this house, light aqua green.

The five hour drive on windy roads was grueling. It is so mountainous here that you are required to change lanes – into the on coming traffic – during difficult curves. It was my first time driving in Mexico and there I was, weaving in and out of "my lane" across from huge trucks doing the same. Everyone followed the white signs painted on the road and we made it out alive! 

Finally, I arrived in Atlixco. What wasn’t magical about Atlixco? It was a delight to the senses. Despite the long drive the night before, I was roused early for a trip into the market. At 7:00 am, the weekly flower market looked like this:

By 8:30, it was practically impassible. People flooded the market to take advantage of the regions incredible production of flowers, fruits and vegetables. I had never seen so many flowers in one place before. Being sold for resale, 20 roses cost less than $5. American brides would go crazy to get their hands on that many flowers for that little a cost!

Beyond the market, there were other treasures to be discovered. For example, did you know that the merry-go-rounds we have with painted, plastic horses, and at times even plastic lions and dolphins, used to be produced with real horses? I didn’t!

That’s right, these horses will be walking in circles all day with children on their backs! I even got to indulge my love of small things by getting a picture with this little guy. So, so sweet.

Another common feature of Mexican pueblos that I found in Atlixco are parks with well-groomed shrubbery. In my local town, large shrub-like trees have modeled as homes and birds. Here, I found a very large turtle shrub.

Atlixco was doubly interesting this particular weekend because of our temporal proximity to an important Mexican holiday. September 15 and 16 are celebrated as the days of Mexican Independence. Mexico declared war against Spain in 1810 on the evening of September 15, demanding their freedom. Their Independence Day was named official in 1825. As an extension of this holiday, the weekend was full of patriotism in ways large and small!

Mexico is not the only country to celebrate their independence day on September 15. In fact, much of Latin America claims their right to sovereignty on that day. I was familiar with this, having spent part of my childhood in Nicaragua. Starting on my second birthday (September 15), I used to sit on my front porch and watch a huge parade go by, assuming it was for me! The year that the parade was postponed until the 16^th because of rain, I learned the real reason for the parade. It wasn’t, it turned out, a birthday parade.

There were other parts of the weekend that reminded me of my childhood. The children had fireworks in the evenings that we sent flying in the courtyard. It wasn’t too dangerous and it was very fun! As a little girl in Nicaragua, I used to gather with others on the paved lot next to my family’s house. There, older friends would have fireworks of all kinds. Some I could manage myself, throwing them onto the ground and watching them explode from sheer inertia, no matches needed. Others had to be carefully lit and quickly moved away from, as they shot flames high up into the air. It’s a memory of playing without rules, and of finding magic in fire and surprise.

Not all of my trip was fireworks and roses though. I met a kind woman who works for a money exchange company in Atlixco. Millions of dollars pass through her hands from Mexicans working hard in the US to help their families survive back home. Equally, Mexicans send money to their families in the Unites States when they hit hard times and need help. 

Her computer translates dollars to pesos and pesos to dollars. Sometimes it neglects to transition from one currency to another between a transaction. If her computer makes an error, or she mistakes fake money for real money, every dollar miscalculated comes out of her salary. $20 off? Deducted. $100 missing? Deducted. $300 miscalculated? Deducted. It doesn’t seem fair to make her pay for a computer error, but still, if it's only $20, it is not that much. Not until I find out what her salary is. This woman makes less than $12 a day to support her two children. On top of that, she works Saturdays and Sundays to keep this job, missing out on precious time with her small daughters. If only $20 go missing, that’s 10 days of making less than $10 a day. And what if it's more?

Things aren’t easy for people here in Mexico. People who aren’t working at banks make even less than $12 a day and often work 7 days a week. It is humbling to be reminded of the compromises people make each day simply to keep their children alive. It doesn’t leave much room to think about their creative and emotional development. Or to plan a trip to the ocean or another special place for a vacation. Many people here cannot afford cars and have never taken a vacation, in their life. 

As I celebrated the magic I experienced in Atlixco, I also lamented the unfairness that makes a beautiful city such a tragic one. By looking at this properly dressed and kind woman, I would not have guessed at the compromises she makes each day. Despite knowing about the economic strife here, it was easy to imagine that I was interacting with people who weren't impacted by it. It was a powerful reminder that I cannot know the circumstances of others simply by looking at them.

Today, I remain curious about what is required for those around me to meet their needs, both physically and spiritually. Just for today, I will place myself in one other person’s shoes before assigning them with a label. I will ask people for their stories and will listen with respect and a desire to understand. I will believe that the complexity and challenge I experience in my own internal landscape is not unique to me. I will have compassion for what others may encounter there, without my ever knowing of it.

Like these colorful flowers growing amongst cactus spines, I witness people blossoming and thriving despite challenge, unfairness and change. I carry with me the reminder that sometimes my greatest impact on this world comes from communicating kindness, seeking understanding and caring enough to truly listen.