-WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A CHILD-

Here's how it works, you simply turn your head in the opposite direction and pretend not to see. Simple as that. And it has helped me live a happy life. Try it! Right there, another homeless child! Keep walking straight and when he's right by your side, side by side, simply turn your head the other way. Simple, huh? I've done it for so long that it is almost unconscious! Do it every time you see a hungry child, the homeless, the elderly, the poor, the exploited, you name it! If you don't want to see it, you don't have to!!
No, not me my friends! I sometimes wish life were that simple. That you could pretend not to see things, the crude reality that I see daily. Go ahead, switch on the late night news, it's a horror show! Just feast your eyes on what we have become. You name it, the human race has done it! Child abuse, drugs, mass destruction, racism, crooked politicians, police officers beating a man for his skin color, greed, envy, revenge, even killing in the name of God! it's all there! Just sit back and enjoy the show.

I sit there and nod my head as I am more and more aware that, perhaps our nature is wrong. We should grow up to become children, and not the other way around. But it seems that the older we get, the worst we make it for our own children. And for our children's children.

We hold the remedy to this in both of our hands. In one hand is the little jar of pills to help you pretend not to see a thing. And in the other is the freedom to chose and act! The choice to change what we feel is wrong! We have a choice. We can act now or regret later. Just don't pick the wrong jar, and for heaven's sake, grow up to be a child.

- THE SCEPTIC BELIEVER-

You can run but you can't hide from love. Haven't we all heard it before? I ask myself that as I pace myself from one side of the room to another. Once and again, in every song, in every romantic novels, television and on the radio! I sit down in my favourite chair, in the middle of the dark living room and think for a while as I stare at the ceiling.

-They say that there comes a moment in life.....no,no, wait, in fact it is a split second in life, not just a moment, but a split second, in which that special feeling forces its way into your heart, and it arrives ...not a minute too early and not a second too late... Nonsense! -
And as I sit there with, my hands tied behind my head and think about that theory, I realise that it simply does not make any sense! Not to me at least. Maybe it does to the few who have lived such experience, but to the rest of us, it is just a bunch of beautiful words carefully linked together. But me? No, I cannot believe it for a split second.

-Sceptic? Yes! And I have every reason to be! And why should I have any reason whatsoever, to believe that there is a common pattern? The answer is NO! -
-But I did feel a little something when I saw her come in. Okay, butterflyes in my stomach, but it also happens to me when I fly my airplane and take a controlled dive....so It doesn't mean a thing!- I stand up for a moment and scratch my head, as if I was soon to come up with a theory that would make Einstein look like an apprentice and Newton like a school boy. I was to prove that theory wrong! I was determined to do so! -But last night was pleasant, yes. And it is true that she did catch my eye as she walked into the crowded restaurant. Okay, but that was different! It was just a pretty face that caught my eye, it happens every day. Right? But wait...I did feel that the room go quiet as she sat down....And all I could hear was her voice! I guess that I was just paying attention.- Anyway, everything did go black and white except for her and her and her greyish sweater that was zipped up and covered her neck almost completely. That must have been the only detail that I noticed, though. Well, that and the silver rings on her fingers, two of them. But that's all, nothing else! That, and her black trousers......but that's just coincidence, Claudio, coincidence.....and stop thinking about that! ....but what about those small earings? Or her golden hair that rested on her narrow shoulders? No! I don't remember anything more! Not her black boots, not her Tommy Hilfiger mark on her sleeve! I don't. I was not paying attention!! I was simply not. And as long as I don't pay attention to every little detail of one single female, I know that my theory is simply right.

EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE

-Everyone has something to hide, except me and my monkey- said John Lennon once, and I believe him. His acid criticisms were aimed towards those who lived their lives according to codes previously set by society, constantly hiding true emotions and desires. If you wanted to fit in, there was no choice but to live and play by the rules. Those rules that society establishes with an unknown origin. Things are not much different today. Although we have come a long way since the days in which you had to be a cynic to survive. Much of that mentality remains. Just take a look around, politicians, movie stars and business men often contradict themselves when they find themselves in a hot spot. Wars are taking place at this very moment because someone refuses to admit that they were wrong. Children are dying because business men and presidents worldwide simply look the other way and pretend not to see. Are we so blind that we cannot see the world around us? Has mankind become numb to the awful truth? Have we become more animals and less humans? Perhaps evolution stopped somewhere along the way. Perhaps we are proving Darwin's theory right, and we are going straight back to where we come from. And maybe, just maybe that's what John Lennon meant by "me and my monkey".

-Good Coffee, a Better Conversation, and In The Best Company-

There aren't many things that I can actually name that are better than being pleasantly surprised by someone you thought you knew, but actually did not know enough. We interact with thousands of people daily, yet never even imagine just how little you know them, and just how much you can learn from them.

Little things can take a whole new meaning when surrounded by the right people. A cup of coffee for example, a smile or even sharing past experiences can be so much better when you are in the right company, sharing thoughts and even fears with someone who really does understand. The right person at the right time can make a world of a difference.

I have only known so many people in my life that I truly admire for their courage and determination. Today I have added a new name to that list. And that name today feels so different when it comes to mind. You, and only You know who you are. And through these words, I intend to say: you are stronger than I ever thought, you are so much smarter than I thought, you are so much more determined than I thought, and yet, you are so much simpler than I thought.

To that special person, only these words I offer you: Your courage has astonished me and your honesty has delighted me. What more can I say but thank you for the beggining of true friendship.

-REFLECTIONS ON A TUESDAY MORNING-

A hectic tuesday morning as always. Several errands to run and little time to do them. Running from here to there as if God himself had warned me that the world would end by noon and my acceptance to heaven depended on the number of things accomplished during that day. I walk fast to "who knows where" and think to myself -"I seldom take the time to actually see the world that surrounds me", so I decided to do so today. After all, I am part of this busy city life. And as I walk through the sidewalk of one of the city's main artery, I pass a picturesque coffee shop that has a couple of tables in the middle of the busy sidewalk, and neighbours a small plaza. A blonde woman was sitting in the sun, sipping a hot cup of coffee as she read a thick book. Just a few steps away, a cute little blonde girl played on the grass under the ocasional supervision of that blonde woman, who seemed to be her mother. The little girl knelt down on the grass. She wore a white dress, black shoes and a red coat. She played with several broken branches that were on the ground and some yellow leaves, and nothing else in the world seemed to matter to her. Her world was there and then. She took those yellow leaves with her small white hands and threw them up in the air and watched as they fell on her bright hair with a great big smile on her tiny face. For a minute there I was simply amused. Her concentration was absolute, and her blue eyes seemed to reflect the joy that only a child can feel, the kind of joy we lose as we grow old.

Traffic was awful, the air was, and always is, heavily polluted, cars honking their way through the crowded streets, and thousands of pedestrians ran from side to side, to and fro. But the little girl was living in a parallel world. Somewhere between those dry leaves and her generous imagination. Her mother raised her head from the book every few minutes or so, to check up on her, and carried on reading her novel with amusement. -How could I possibly live life in such amusement? - I thought to myself. Is it possible for a man of my age to recover the lost joy and love for life? -I doubt it - said the sceptic voice inside my head. You are far too busy with more "important" matters. -Impontant? Isn't that little girl's joy important? Could it be that with the passing of the years we change our priorities so drasticly and don't consider our youth's happiness important anymore? Has our sense of narcissism become so great that nothing else could be as important than what we chose to label as "important"? What could possibly be more important than enjoying the little life that I have left? Could there be anything more more urgent than the need to have great days to look back to and smile? To live my "here and now"?
I looked at the tip of my shoes for a moment, a bit confused I admit, as if trying to come up with some sort of rational conclusion. After all, I was debating the importance of life itself! I raise my head, look at the young girl once again and realise just how complicated I have made such a simple thing. Watching a little child play had made me question my principles, priorities and even my love for life! Just then it hits me that, in order to live a long, pleasant and joyful life, one must act more and think less!. Yes! That's it! That's the answer to my question! I must begin to live my life as children do, carelessly, no worries on my mind, just live the moment as it comes! I smile and realise that I don't even know how long I have been standing there. And then reality strikes me from out of the blue, the little girl with the white dress had accidently taught me a very valuable lesson today, and I walked away with a happy heart and a silly grin on my face, feeling like a child again.

-SANTIAGO AS I KNOW IT-

Santiago, like a needle in a haystack, lies hidden somewhere in the bottom of the globe. If Colombus would have seen it, he would have sworn it is on the verge of falling off . Santiago? Is that the name of the tribe or a culinary creation? Indeed, very few have actually taken some time to see where this long and narrow piece of land lies. Not many can claim to have actually unfolded an old and yellow map stored in the glove compartment of the old '72 Opel, stored in the garage, to pinpoint its location. Nevertheless it is here, and it is real. More than 16 million inhabitants can prove me right.
With a bit of will, and lots of imagination, you could even say we are a civilized bunch. But then again, it all depends on just what you mean by civilized. Take our streets for example. Stroll around in your car, that is if you have the insane idea of driving around the city during the broad daylight, and you shall see that we are a pretty modern and civilized nation. Just look around, I tell myself, this is as civilized as life can get! Cars honking about, pedestrians making daring attempts to cross a street and actually making it alive, buses driving in lanes exclusively designated for small vehicles, you name it! We have even adapted foreign communication codes to our daily living. Bus drivers are a good example of this. If you should dare make the slightest gesture to an angry bus driver, he shall extend his left arm, stick out his middle finger as if saying "sir, I am terribly sorry for my imprudence. I shall be more carefull in the future". Isn't that what civilization is supposed to be all about? Communicating efficiently with others? And what if you are not within distance of displaying such courtesy visually? Then the good old horn replaces the body language, with a more persuasive approach. Every honk, repeated and extended, seems to say: "Sir, I cannot view the problem from here, but through the honking of my horn I would like to express my concern. Do you have any idea of why this lane is not moving by any chance? Any information will be highly appreciated by me and those behind me. Thank you".
It doesn't take too much effort to learn these basic codes and in no time at all, you will fit in as one of us, and even come to know Santiago as I know it.

-Claudio Aliaga