All Women Are One

All Women Are One

I am a woman like you are.
I am a mother like you are.
I am a worker like you are.
I am an inamorata like you are.

Yet because you live there
and I live here
or because your appearance or lifestyle
is different from mine.

People tell us we are not alike.
But we can see the differences
in each other's beliefs because
our intrinsic ideals are the same.
People tell us we are not alike but
but we know better...

We are all one.

Susan Polis Schutz

Our good nature has Faltered

Our good nature has Faltered
We need to feel more
February 25, 2012
By: Gina Yoryet Roman


Everything happens for a purpose. We all experience fortunate or unfortunate “accidents” throughout life.
In reality they are not accidents, we ignore that those events are predestined; they were carved on stone long before we were born and they are meant to happen at the right place and time but it is not our duty to decipher them. Neither is it our duty to seek our will as we are instruments of the divine power above us and students of life.

Life holds many deep secrets of our existence which we will never be able to understand. Human behavior is one of the most complex issues to ponder about, there have been many books in regards to this matter but nobody can ever get to the bottom of it.

I once read a book on evolution, “The Selfish Gene,” by Richard Dawkins published in 1976 that says something very interesting and true. All human beings are born with a good side and an evil side but most of us have the tendency to develop our evil side a lot more than our good one. She describes the gene-centered view of evolution so that brought upon even more doubts within.

This question, “What is my purpose, why here, now?” has lingered in my mind all my life, I’ve read, investigated, talked to friends, interviewed people and I am just about ready to give up, stop wondering, keep my mind busy and not focus on my needs and feelings in order for me to look outside of my crystal bubble and try to help others.

Sometimes when I’m driving or walking I look at people and wonder what is going on inside them but they are all hard to read. And I ask myself, “Would they help someone in need or would they stop for a few minutes and talk to a lonely soul as distracted and rushed as they may be?” “I am sure they will,” I reply to myself. “After all, we are all one heart, one soul, one brotherhood.”

Such perspective I had until yesterday’s incident, one of the most impacting and agonizing happenings that I had ever witnessed. An event I only saw from afar in tragic and bloody movies.

Walking on the streets a few steps from getting to my place yesterday a little past 5pm I was very distracted thinking about how overwhelming life seems to be getting lately with the few projects going on that I somewhat got completely disconnected until I came across an older woman in her late 70’s. Just as I passed by, she pulled out a knife and was about to stab herself. The second I saw the knife aiming right at her chest I sprinted towards her and struggled with her to take it away.

While struggling her infuriated eyes spitting out fire pierced right through me, a bit taken aback she must have cursed the moment I appeared.

Once I managed to calm her down a little, I yelled for the security guards to call for help but they answered sarcastically, “oh, don’t bother, she’s just an aggressive and crazy old woman, leave her alone.” And went right back inside.

At that moment I felt as thought I'd been the one who had gotten stabbed, it was so painful to see that not a single soul lifted even one finger to help so I sat down next to the woman trying to get to the bottom of her despair.
It turns out that her son kicked her out of her house and stole all her money and belongings and she ended up in the street so she went in there looking for him at work – at the security place without avail. According to her, he's been negligent to see her for nine months! What a coward! What kind of son does that to the woman who gave birth to him?

I was on the verge of tears and felt useless not being able to find a solution for her. I offered to take her into the little church on the next block but she was very oblivious to do it so I talked to her for another few minutes to be able to come up with another option.

I told her to wait there and I ran to the temple to look for help but it was very shocking to see that the people there were very reluctant to help. They didn’t want to call or be involved in the matter.
It was horrifying and unexpected to get that kind of response from such devoted fellow Christians!!

When I had finally called the crisis hotline and went back to where she was, she had vanished.
Literally crying and walking in a daze, I came home and dropped on the couch, cried and prayed for that empty and lonely soul in despair.
It was very shocking to witness once again that we can indeed be very selfish but I guess I was naïve to what extent.




We need to feel more
To understand others
We need to love more
To be loved back
We need to cry more
To cleanse ourselves
We need to laugh more to enjoy ourselves

We need to be honest and fair
When interacting with people
We need to establish a strong ethical basis
As a way of life
We need to see more
Than our own fantasies
We need to hear more
And listen to the needs of others

We need to give more
And take less
We need to give more
And take less
We need to share more
And own less

We need to realize the importance of the family
As a backbone to stability
We need to look more
And realize that we are not so different from one another

We need to create a world where
We can trust one another
We need to create a world where
We can all peacefully live
The life we choose.

Susan Polis Schutz

On the last day

Be kinder than necessary,
everyone you meet is fighting
some kind of battle!!


God's questions- The Last Day
Things God won't ask on that day:

God won't ask the square footage of your house,
he'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God won't ask you about the clothes you had in your closet.
He'll ask you how many you helped to clothe.

God won't ask what your highest salary was.
He'll ask you if you compromised your character to obtain it.

God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask you if you performed your
job to the best of your ability.

God won't ask you how many friends you had. He'll ask you how many people
to whom you were a friend.

God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived.
He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

God won't ask about the color of your skin.
He'll ask about the content of your character.

God won't ask why it took you so long to seek salvation. He'll lovingly
take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of hell,

God won't have to ask how many people you share this with.
He already knows your decision.

NO Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.
Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect.
It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfection.



NO JESUS, NO PEACE!! KNOW JESUS, KNOW PEACE!!


Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect.
It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfection.

Sisters are the core of one’s soul

Sisters are the core of one’s soul
February 19, 2012
By: Gina Yoryet Roman


“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” John 4:20

Going through daily news updates this article in NeoMundo popped up and it immediately caught my eye. “Even though the majority of us can’t stand sisters, a recent study reports the opposite as having sisters can bring many benefits. Those who have sisters don’t feel as sad and lonely as being an only child.”

Having sisters isn’t in the least something I detest, I’ve always been very grateful for the four amazing women who have been my faithful companions throughout my journey. Yes, there have been many moments when we’ve annoyed each other, argued, disagreed, critiqued and been mean to each other. When we were little girls we even got to the point of fist fighting and gave each other the cold shoulder for a few days but deep down we’ve always known that we will always stick out for each other.

Regardless of the lack of physical signs of love and affection and in despite of living so far apart and spending very little time together, we know that we are only a phone call away or we can simply hop on a plane to help each other feel at ease when we are going through internal turmoil.

As the second youngest woman in my family, I’ve experienced the influence of having older sisters all my life. My sisters helped me reflect when I felt tempted to go against my parents rules when I was going through my “rebel with many causes” period. They also played an important role of who I wanted to become some day.

We’d also borrow each other clothes and shoes, sometimes we’d fight for it, and we played sports together, went out together and covered each other when we used to sneak out the window. LOL!

We are lucky to be very close in age and it’s been a unique experience that can be shared with others who have and truly appreciate their sisters.
The thought of what would life be without them makes me feel empty and lonely. I wouldn't be complete without them.

Now we are the ones keeping the tie in my family since my brothers are very distracted and distant at times without meaning harm, I guess they are just being “guys.” But for the most part we are all very close. Unlike some people I’ve met in the past who hate their siblings or parents creating a huge gap of distance between them. They don’t understand the importance of having a family or the benefits that can bring.

Benefits of having a sister:


Quotes on siblings:

I can’t keep up

I can’t keep up
February 18, 2012
By: Gina Yoryet Roman


As the high performance athlete I was once upon a time and as an independent woman in search of reaching the summit, I am usually able to defeat almost any barrier lying ahead. NOT entirely. Life for me is about getting to the bottom of matters only within certain areas.

There are particular things that I will never be able to break down or I just don’t have the patience for. For instance the other day in the midst of a skype conference with the producer of “The Road to Tequila,” I was instructed to turn my camera on, for “better communication” since I can’t get the volume to work. After a few failed attempts to get the sound and camera up and running I gave up so we decided to stick to the typing.
I don’t necessarily dislike cameras or technology but in many ways I am not too keen on them since I cannot figure them out like most women because we consider that “a man thing.”

Although I can be very girly and high maintenance every now and then to the point where I cannot bear the frustration of one of my nails breaking, there are many much more interesting issues that catch my attention. For example, I’d spend a whole day or write a book discussing politics, economics/finance, history, art, literature, philosophy writing, business, health and fitness.
I may not be an expert in these matters but these are the areas that keep me entertained and eager to learn more unlike technology, numbers, makeup, fashion and shopping.
Technology intimidates and frightens me. I’ve never taken the time to get into it deeper because my technician is always just a phone call away.

When I think about digits, I cringe in disgust as my brain automatically shuts down. Even with simple calculations it takes me three or four times as long. When I come across Roman numerals, I can only read I, II and II. The other day in one of my classes we came across Roman numeral number 8 which I asked my students to identify. LOL!

Shopping has always created anxiety and boredom and it’s rather overwhelming. I cannot stand being in a plaza for over 30 minutes. I find it pointless and I start getting in a bad mood when/if I am boxed in a scandalously smelling and cloistered plaza. I can count the times I go shopping in a year with the palm of my hand. Although I love possessing new things, having more and expensive things has always been stressful. To be honest the more I have the more I want so that is when I have to remind myself about my wants, needs, likes, would likes and will do’s. I don’t deny that there are many cute garments, shoes and accessories to purchase but as long as I have a full wardrobe of workout clothes, running shoes and flip flops, I am well served.

Fashion and makeup have also been too much throughout my life. I’ve never actually attempted to keep up with them because I have absolutely no interest in doing so. The closest I got to them was all the years I worked as a model and demo girl but even then I’d have to find the politically “correct” way “to tell them that I was not a plastic doll and I really had to draw the line to keep makeup moderate.

And last but not least is that most women don’t’ have a sense of direction. We are somewhat slow when it comes to that “mystery.” I’ve NEVER been able to find north, south, east west, northwest. UGH! The first thing I tell people when I ask for directions is, “keep it simple, just tell me right or left, straight, back.”

Why can’t life just be about economics/finance, history, art, literature, philosophy, writing, business, health and fitness?

Home is Where the Heart Is

“Home is Where the Heart is”
February 12, 2012
By: Gina Yoryet Roman


While going through a ton of junk and furniture buried under coats of dust this morning, I came across a few post cards of San Francisco, Sacramento and Folsom Lake, which were given to me by one of my sisters last Christmas. Domestic chores have never on my top list to do but I was trying to keep myself busy to avoid feeling YUCK because of the weather which is not what I signed up for being in Guadalajara.

My mind went on default mode automatically and traveled back to what I once considered “home” because many of my most important years were spent there. My childhood, adolescence and part of my early adulthood were left there.

That is the setting where I met my two greatest and best friends ever and who I still keep in touch with, the tender memories of my first love who I shared many moments with in Middle School, High School and part of college (by the way, it took me forever to get over him) and someone that will always hold a piece of my heart.

The place where I grew up blending with society and feeling as if I were another proud “American,” yet I’ve always known deep down that I am too Mexican to be American and too American to be Mexican. Those cities that helped me learn more about life and define who I really was, not taking into account whether I was “de este lado o del otro,” or “ni de aquí ni de allá,” like I’ve felt many times but considering the individual I was meant to be one day to forge my destiny.

California means a lot to me because that is where I also met my second love, the love of my life and although sometimes I say to myself, “I will spend my late years in California, “Why not settle down in San Diego?” I am doubtful because there would always be something missing…

My heart wouldn’t be there completely. They say, “Home is where the heart is.” But the issue here is that my heart is split up in two. It hasn’t been with me completely the entire time I’ve spent here nor will it ever be in California fully because it would always make me yearn for “my other home.”

Sometimes I wake up thinking, “Tengo que regresar a casa, me lo reclama el corazón.” It is such irony because I am still in search of "home." I gues what matters more is where my heart is at ease. It may not have anything to do with where I feel better but where I find my purpose.

What is of higher importance is to not get too comfortable in this world because like someone once said, “Solo estoy aquí de pasada.” Meaning that this universe is only a temporary place for us to be and we had better not get used to it because sooner or later we’ll all have to depart.

Better yet is to savour the glory of having tortillas and bread, catsup and Tabasco sauce, hamburgers, French fries, fast food, and tacos, tostadas, tamales mole and pozole, feeling fortunate of being able to speak Spanish as fluidly as English and taking advantage of living in "My two worlds."

The best things in life are priceless

“The best things in life are priceless”
February 6, 2012
By: Gina Yoryet Roman

After coming back from my early rush hour at 6:45 this morning, I hopped back into bed and wrapped myself around with my blankets like a huge “tamal.” I didn’t have to storm out of the house because today is “Día de la Constitución” which was drafted in Queretaro during the Mexican Revolution and later approved by the Constitutional Congress on February 5, 1917.

Squeezing in more zzzzz’s wasn’t a bad idea but I felt amazingly great since last weekend I got more than plenty of sleep. 13 nonstop hours and then I took another two hour nap yesterday so I was more than caught up.

I grabbed “Atlas Shrugged,” instead and read almost a chapter. Most people are not too keen on this story and I can see why because it seems endless. I love that Dagny Taggart character, even though it is only fiction, she’s the type of personality I feel connected with. She’s strong, independent, represses her feelings especially after that player Francisco D’Anconia breaks her heart.

Ayn Rand managed to project her writing very vividly so every time I come across Francisco, I just want to slap the man and tell him that Dagny is an amazing woman and what a fool he is for letting her go. LOL!

Just as I was getting into the story, the chirping of the birds caught my attention so I put the book down for a few minutes to hear their chant announcing spring. At that moment I realized that I had NEVER in my life stopped to enjoy the best things in life which are free of cost.

We are always bombarded with projects, deadlines, goals to accomplish, house chores to be done, endless work demands and limits we set ourselves that we never stop and smell the coffee.

We seem to ignore many things and richness of our countries. A few weeks ago I read an article in yahoo news titled like this, “Energía Solar para alumbrar tu casa, el sol sale para todos y regala electricidad.” Meaning that México has one of the highest solar ratios in the world making it legal for people to generate electricity for self-consumption. México would be able to develop a whole industry from the production of solar panels to the industrial consumption.

My question is how many are aware of this? It is our nature that which must be given a much higher importance than what we give it and not concentrate so much on vain and materialistic issues.