An Old Photo Part I

This is a 1990s photo, one of those when digital images were close to fiction instead of reality. The camera was as inexpensive as possible, or at a price a college student like myself could afford. Its clarity appears somewhat blurry, and yet we do get the point. There in front of me, and with their permission, a very humble couple who came to see the work we were doing (building modest homes for the less privileged of Juarez, Mexico). That was my first trip to Mexico, and among the poor I found plenty of people who smiled as if they were the wealthiest of the country. Their uncomplicated and truthful demeanor has stayed with me till this very day. I remember it was a very cold day, so they offered us what they had, great coffee. We drank some of it with them, perhaps one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had. It, for sure, wasn't Starbucks--actually much better, less pompous (and the Lord knows I love Starbucks). I was amazed when this couple told me they had been married for fifty years. For me that was incredible because they looked as if they had had a very hard life, and yet remained together in health and sickness, poverty and wealth. However, there was not much wealth around the entire place. Most of the houses in that community were made out of cardboard. The only brick homes were those we had built. There was not a single tree for miles, but abundant dirt--arid and almost unlivable as if constantly daring whatever or whoever was breathing. They walked tall and hard with their spirits up despite the grievous circumstances surrounding them. It was an honor to better the place; the task was worthy of our time and energy. Thank you!