Mystic Pizza and a Salsa Queen was born

On this day in 1988, I was ten years old and not old enough to remember the movie Mystic Pizza with Julia Roberts but as I got older I saw re-runs of the film and it is a film that I remember did in fact launch Ms. Julia Roberts career in Mystic Pizza

Mystic Pizza starred not only Julia Roberts but also starred Annabeth Gish, Lili Taylor, Vicent D’onofrio and others. Starting out as a coming of age film for three teenagers that are trying to get out of Mystic, Connecticut and all three work in a pizza shop. The two sisters played by Annabeth Gish (Kat) and Julia Roberts (Daisy) serve as an interesting dynamic of two totally opposite personalities but both with the same goal of getting out of Mystic, Connecticut. Julia Roberts would go on to star in many films along with the one she won an Academy Award in playing a Single Mom in Erin Brockovich.

Also on this day, the Salsa queen herself Celia Cruz was born. I’m very much a fan of Celia Cruz and was very honored to see an exhibit of her life at the Smithsonian a few years back in Washington DC in 2005. She grew up in Cuba and eventually when Fidel Castro took over, she and her husband Pedro Knight became US citizens. She is known for her flamboyant and colorful dresses and her trademark punchline at shows “Azucar.” She is not only an icon for women everywhere but also for minorities. What you may not realize is that Celia Cruz being a dark skinned Latina would have been looked down upon in the Latin community during her years growing up. As we progress through cultural enlightenment and blending of cultures and skin tones we will see less and less of this kind of stereotyping. Google has Celia Cruz as their doodle for today to honor her birthday.

The lesson and the memories

Oh to be a teenager again and to have such big dreams. Many of us would be so disappointed at what has happened to our dreams now that we are no longer at the cusp of adulthood. Many times we are in the midst of eclipses but never quite at the glorious full moon. Life can never be placed into prime perfect order without patience and preserverance. Sometimes our goals and dreams along with the paths we took to get there come with glorious lessons as well as unintended consequences. Many single parents never dreamed or made it a goal to BE a single parent. This is just the path that we are on now. Many of us fully intended to spend the rest of our lives with another person. The outcome is uncertain but patience and faith is so much more important now.

Look at the life of Celia Cruz. Her aunt had her singing at clubs as a teenager. Encouraged by her father to go to school to become a Spanish language teacher, Cruz was taught that by singing one night she would make more than a teacher would for an entire month. What seemed like seemingly impossible odds, this Queen of Salsa would continue being a formidable talent well into her later years proving that your talent is what will take you places as you get older when looks and youthful beauty fade. To see her become even more popular with the rest of the world as she got older, proves the formidable power of a woman that does what she loves. A true inspiration for us all.

Today’s Scripture Reading – 1 Romans 4:20-25

20 Counting on the promise of God, he did not doubt or disbelieve, but drew strength from faith and gave glory to God,

21 fully convinced that whatever God promised he has the power to perform.

22 This is the faith that was reckoned to him as uprightness.

23 And the word ‘reckoned’ in scripture applies not only to him;

24 it is there for our sake too — our faith, too, will be ‘reckoned’

25 because we believe in him who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus who was handed over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification.

Daily Reflection

If you are in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) here is your daily reflection for October 21, 2013

NOTHING GROWS IN THE DARK We will want the good that is in us all, even in the worst of us, to flower and to grow. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 10

Abstaining from that which brings us detriment whether it’s alcohol, drugs, food, sex or any other addiction is not just an abstinence from addiction, but as recovery in every department of life.

I renew hope, regenerate faith, and regain the dignity of self-respect. I discover the word “and” in the phrase “and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.”

Reassured that I am no longer always wrong, I learn to accept myself as I am, with a new sense of the miracles of sobriety and serenity.