#learning #life #meaning #relationships #family

My Father´s Ranch

 

My father had this place, a place where he just felt free, a place where he could just let his imagination fly beyond the trees. Each and every week he visited this beautiful place, full of plants, full of wisdom,  and not a lot of people to blur the vision. It could be fall, it could be winter, or even summer or spring but every time his feet were on the ground of this place called “El Plan” his mind would just run free. No matter what was going on in that specific moment, it could be family problems, hard work or any other stressful situation in life, arriving to this magical place made him stop the world for a moment and enjoy the fresh, aromatic, air. Yes, my father was an engineer, but when he was at the ranch, oh dear, he was something else. It started out as a cattle ranch, but one morning, while looking at the sky, he decided to plant some grapes. Grapes? Yes, his mind was into something brighter, something bigger, an investment that could turn a single fruit into a cheerful glass of an elixir in those warm and good lands. Days and weeks passed, and every time this smart man went to visit his paradise, a new, bright idea passed through his mind. Every single time, he made sure, that this ideas didn´t stay in his mind, he made sure they became a reality. Another week passed and he planted oranges, pomegranate, berries, asparagus, tomatoes, and all kinds of deliciousness, but the most important thing was that every single seed, and every little bit of this wonderland was to be shared with his friends and family.  Cutting and planting, growing and smiling, all the time invested was spent enjoying the magic.  Every week, the house full of delicious food.  My sister, my brother, my mom and I certainly enjoyed the flavors.  Oh my dad, yes, Alberto was his name. He made me proud, he made me smile, he made me grow as a person. Now that I am older, now that I stop and stare back at those times, I realize that it was not the planting itself, but in most parts it was a way of demonstrating the importance of taking care of your surroundings, the importance of taking  care of the people you love because  the more time and effort you put into this beautiful paradise, the further away the glow of the flowers can be seen.