I am filled with joy to be with my parents here in the Dominican Republic, yet I have been sad, because I miss my brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews, my beautiful flower and her Son, my friends, and my students, back at home in the United States.
I arrived here on March 12, 2020, and I meant to go back home on March 20, 2020, because I was told that my beautiful flower and her Son needed me. However, I was denied boarding my flight back home due to a mistake on behalf of the Dominican Republic’s immigration department. During normal times, I could have just gone to a local court, obtained a certain certificate, and fixed everything in a day. However, due to COVID-19, the whole country is on curfew, and the courts are closed.
At first, they said that the curfew would end in two weeks (April 11). However, last week it was announced that it was extended for another 15 days. I understand that stopping the spread of COVID-19 is indeed the number one priority. However, I am stuck here due to a mistake, not of my making. I miss and worry about all the people I mentioned above on an hourly basis.
The other night, I was about to become overwhelmed with extended sadness, which would only lead to depression. However, when I felt it coming, I prayed to God for spiritual guidance, and CHW4EVER’s wheel of life philosophy popped up in my mind like a light in the darkness right in front of me.
I still felt sad, but I also felt the joy of realizing that my family and friends have been there for me and that eventually, I will go home. Sadness left me on March 29 when my beautiful flower’s son told me to eat chocolate cookies, because they would make me feel better. You see, his mom had told him that I was not in Manchester, because I was sick. I was going to tell him that I don’t get sick, because “I’m Batman,” but before I finished my text, he wrote back saying that he had made cookies, and was going to save me one so I feel better. I told him that I would be back as soon as I can, and he said. “I have a cookie for you, please come get it before you get sicker.” I promised him that I would come back at home as soon as I can, but I knew that I still had at least 12 days before I could see him and his mom again.
Sadness began to overwhelm me again, but again I prayed to God, CHW4EVER’s wheel showed up again in my mind, I saw myself making a video for his mother to show him, so that he knows that I am okay. It is the first video below.
Why am I sharing my current personal situation with you?
Because you might have someone that you care about struggling with sadness or depression during these hard times of COVID-19, and I want to give you a tool to help them or help yourself. We cannot control what happens in the world, but we can control how we respond to what happens … CHW4EVER’s wheel of life philosophy can show you how to respond … you just have to pray to God with your whole heart, and God will hear your prayers.
Then take action on appreciating your family and friends. I wish I could give you more details on how to take action, but for now, let me show you how I did it, so you can do it too.
First, I made a video showing my family and friends that I am okay, even though I am stuck away from home. Please watch this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR6eza9JJ0M]
Then I reminded them that I came here to see my parents, and record Dominican culture to bring back to Manchester, and the rest of New Hampshire. Please watch this video as well.
Thanks to my parents, and my childhood friend “Mi hermano Perez,” I recorded a lot of Dominican culture, including empty beaches in Samana bay, during my first week here, before the curfew. To get a glimpse of the beauty that I will bring back home. Please go to my website: www.chw4ever.com. Then click on the “Unfinished story” page to see some of Dominican Republic’s natural beauty…it’s fun to see!
Most sincerely, I hope that you have followed my story by reading my words, watching my videos, and visiting my website; because if you have, at least for a little while, my work, has kept sadness away from you. And perhaps, hopefully, has brought a little joy into your life.