As I wrote in previous posts, this year started with some complications. I was hit by malaria for the second time in two months and then by a renal colic to cap it all.

Many years ago, I visited a homeopath who told me that my kidney problems were associated not so much to my diet, but to my states of anxiety and stress. I think he was right to a certain extent.

The thing is that we have all been under a lot of stress and we have all been manifesting that stress in different ways. My children are all having their personal struggles; they are experiencing adulthood and independence in far places and all the responsibilities that come with it. It has been hard for all us not to be able to support one another more closely, and yet, they found a way to make magic for Valentine's day.

My daughter @manujune had been hired since early January to play the violin at a local sushi restaurant for Valentine's. We had agreed back then that we would use the opportunity to have a night out and relax. Then I got sick and a job opportunity presented itself and I had to go for it. I was hired the first week of February, but I was not assigned class until the day before Valentine's Day, so I had to spend February 14th planning a class and trying to solve some technical problems we had with the app and the computer.

Then, I got a call from one of @imabby17's friend. He works at a local radio station and they were running a contest for a free Valentine's dinner at an Syrian restaurant. My daughter, who has been going through her roughest time since she left us, participated from Brazil and won the dinner. She made arrangements for the prize to be given to us! I was moved to tears. How do you say no to that?

I explained my situation and they offered me an option, to use the prize the day after. I'd be a bit relieved from my first class tensions and we could still claim the prize and have a different evening.

So, I taught my first class on Wednesday and despite a couple of computer glitches, everything went well. Now we had another reason to celebrate. We went to the Syrian restaurant, Syria Arabic Food, on Santa Rosa Av, here in Cumaná, and it was fantastic. Great attention, a variety of Syrian food (which I probably could not eat, but which I ate anyways), quiet environment and just then, we heard a violin!

@manujune showed up and played and sang for us La vie en rose. It was a very emotional moment.

Everything I had been holding all these months just cascaded while my daughter sang this French song I did not understand but which moved me deeply. I could see the beauty of my daughters working their magic despite distance and individual difficulties and we were thankful and proud.

All our efforts and sacrificies pay off in different ways and we have been blessed with children who remind us about the good things in life and the importance of pausing, of giving, and enjoying.

It was, even if belated, the best Valentine's Day we've had.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you too had a great Valentine's Day.