Falling Awake: Opening our souls rather than our eyes.

Perhaps its a sign that I grew up in the States, but during St Patrick’s day I use to wonder if I had any Irish in me. While we knew more about my mother’s side (Salkeld is from the north of England), we knew very little about the Prugue’s. All we knew was that Emilio Prugue (or Emile before Spanish legal translation) migrated from Bayonne France to Lima Peru back in the mid 1800s. Seems there was a thriving French artist community in Peru at the time, even Paul Gaugin lived in Peru (before Tahiti of course). And in my family, having access to his lithographs (printed in 1853 and ‘54) are treasured items in my family. While we knew relatively little about Emile, we all appreciated that he was the first Prugue in Peru, and that it was he who’d signed these works himself. The fact that we knew so little about the Prugue’s in France, however, would frustrate my father immensely. He would recollect how his grandfather, son of Emile Prugue, would speak to him in French. Or how his paterna...

What we believe of ourselves, and what we actually do, can often be two different outcomes.  I mean, we all like to think that under extreme pressure, we will still front up and fight head on.  But it isn’t until we ourselves are faced with this that we can truly say if indeed we have that underlying brave spirit which we aspire to have.   Well, for my sister in law, such a test hasn’t come just once, but three times!  You see, my sister in law was diagnosed with breast cancer over ten years ago, fought it, and won.  Sadly, however, the cancer hasn’t come back just once, but two more times!  Guess they’re right that we’re all tested three times; as my sister in law has been.  Each time, she endured long painful chemo sessions, now immunotherapy.  While I would like to think I possessed her courage and heart, have to sincerely admit that I cannot say if I really do.  Instead, what I can say is if I am ever tested, she will be my role mod...