Dear Marian and Beth

Did you hear that Juarez, Mexico was recently named one of the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities? It’s because the city has managed to overcome difficult years of violence and economic recession.

I find this incredibly ironic since that’s the birth of my life of resilience in a way. It’s where I actually signed my divorce papers.

Can you believe that? Back then you actually had to travel to another country to get a divorce. Now, it seems so much easier, although of course it never is.

But for me, after all the arguing and all the waiting and all the time we had to live together knowing the marriage was over, I had to go across the border to make it final. Of course it wasn’t easy traveling then when you children were still so young, but I had to make it work.

I flew to a town in Arizona to and then drove to Juarez. It was my first trip out of the country. I never thought it would be for something like that. It all seemed so complicated.  My lawyer wanted me to stay overnight because the thought it would make it all more legal.

I was so nervous that night waiting in this  place where I couldn’t even speak the language. But I suppose I was a little bit excited too. Mostly just eager to be able to move on.

That city has gone through so much since then.  So much bad news. And yet, there’s a determination to fight the bad.

We always need to do that too. To refuse to give in to the troubles. To refuse to let them defeat us.

I’m glad to see Juarez is still hanging on. I hope you both will always figure out how to be resilient too!

Love,

Mom