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Sunday 26 February 2012

Unconditional Love

I came to Guatemala to learn a language and instead I found my heart.

What I discovered was that true love has no conditions. 

Life and love is no longer about whats in it for me. Nor has it got anything to do with the concept that "you have to love me, if I love you." 

Love I have discovered is all about giving. 

Giving from the heart. 

I have been through several relationships in my life and each served its own purpose of discovery. Its own journey of love.

Now without judging anyone, it is easier for me to recognize the struggles that others have with the apprehension and intimacy of loving. 

I can discern and accept and understand that love with conditions exists for some. But is it love they are experiencing, or fear of losing?

Could it be they have insecurities embedded within? 

That this fear of loss is confused for love. Loss or loss of control or loss of power. Without overcoming this unstable internal confrontation, true love can never be given from the heart. My own personal odyssey attests to this.

It takes time and patience and giving without conditions to understand the true value of love. 

It was the people of Guatemala that allowed my heart to open so very wide. The participation of giving changes you. None of this can happen without the will to be free. 

I will tell you one thing, loving this way feels great and it has to be good for you. 

I love without conditions. 
me encanta sin condiciones.

I recently found this link and you may or may not like it. Never-the-less it is my blog and I offer you to take a look.

http://about.me/heartquestguatemala

Monday 20 February 2012

Guatemala Marmalade

When I was a young lad growing up in Wales, everything we consumed was fresh. Veges where fresh, meat was purchased daily, milk magically appeared delivered from somewhere in glass bottles the cream resting on top.

My mother worked miracles in the kitchen, baking bread and creating tasty meals. I often remember hanging out and watching her in my young minds magical way. There was this large earthenware bowl she used. Peeled oranges where all over that kitchen table, a jug of sugar and all those jars. Out of this came the best marmalade I have ever tasted.

I now live somewhat similar to my youthful days of per-refrigeration. I go to a market every two or three days and purchase fresh veges and fruit. There are butcher shops available in the market where I can buy chicken, ground beef, liver or pork. People have commented to me on this as to whether that is safe to buy or not. My answer is that most meat here is freshly butchered and not sitting in some deep freeze for weeks or months on end. The animal was alive yesterday or the day before.

A chicken leg with back attached, or a 1/2 lb of ground beef or pork sausages enough for a meal costs me around $1.20. I can buy a whole (8 lb) chicken for about $ 4.00. As for the latter I need some way of keeping it cool after I cook it, so I usually buy the smaller portions instead.

A whole large broccoli costs 67 cents, a pound of small firm potato's 20 cents, eggs are 13 cents each, a  freshly baked loaf of wholewheat bread 80 cents, the list goes on. I buy powdered whole milk which is fortified with vitamins for $ 2.80 enough to last two weeks. Spices are inexpensive and I sometimes use powdered soups as the basics for sauces and gravies.

My kitchen is basic with a two burner electric hotplate, a toaster and a blender. I do have a pela in my kitchen area. Check out these pictures to see what I mean.

http://www.google.com.gt/search?q=pila+washing+sink+pictures&hl=es-419&client=firefox-a&hs=id4&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VTRDT67_JsGbgwf4roHMCg&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=939&bih=358#hl=es-419&client=firefox-a&hs=0LP&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&channel=np&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=pila+sink+&oq=pila+sink+&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=12&gs_upl=18503l24006l2l25523l13l13l4l0l0l1l241l1639l0.8.1l9l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=aa6e28b34260b2d7&biw=939&bih=358

While a pela is meant as multiple use washing sink, I also use mine to keep my beer cool.

Here in Xela, Guatemala finding treasure tastes from my past is very difficult. There are all sorts of strawberry and pineapple jams, there is honey and I have seen those peanut butter spreads the ones I avoided while living in Canada. These are the ones laced with icing sugar for sweetness and taste. With some diligence I actually found a sweet version of marmalade.

Then one special moment I remember finding a marmalade imported from Spain. It is very close to what my mother created those many years ago. I suspect some Spanish spy must have been gazing through our family kitchen window and copied my mothers secret.

Yes I buy it and yes its good. But more than the taste it brings back all those special moments and memories I had watching my mother in that kitchen making the best tasting marmalade ever created..