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I came to Texas as soon as I could!
It just happened one day in 2002: my now ex-husband told me that I had
to decide whether to stay in Colorado or move to Texas with him and our
children. Well, given that choice, and not being a native of Colorado, I
thought to myself, why not? So we sold our house and off we went to
Odessa, Texas. After one year I decided I wanted to get a teaching
credential, and I currently attend the University of Texas of the
Permian Basin.
I have very deep family roots in this state. My grandpa, el Señor
Manuel De La Garza, was born in Texas and his (my) family were the people who
founded Seven Sisters, in Duval County. I imagine a little town with a
general store, gasoline station, post office, and small meeting halls
here and there. The town is still there, even after all these years, but
of course mi abuelito is now long gone, as are all of those
lively ancestors. I have many memories of him visiting us in California
when I was a little girl.
As I grew older I came to Texas for summer vacations, and on those
two-day drives I saw places such as Del Rio and Eagle Pass. They are
small, but they felt like home to me. I must have been ten years old.
Our destination was always Freer, Texas, where to this day I have aunts
living life as they grew up knowing it--very quiet, with as much love
for daily living as anyone can find in this whole world.
In the present time I want to go back to Freer and visit my
grandparents' grave and remember how they were so much a part of my
life. My grandmother's name was Guadalupe De La Garza. She was born on
December 12, 1912, the day of the Virgen De Guadalupe--hence her name.
She would tell me: "Mijita, I was born on the twelfth day of
the twelfth month of the year in the year 1912." She would say it with
so much pride! I can still hear her.
Oh, and my grandpa, he could laugh! It was infectious. All of my tio
abuelos had the same infectious laugh and they could tell you
stories that to this day are still hilarious! Another proud Tejano
(who I've yet to meet in person) told me, "So now you are in Texas, and
you came as soon as you could! This is where the real hombres are
born!" Well, I said, yes, that is pretty much how it happened. I am back
in Texas, and I plan to stay!
Monica Murguia-De La Garza
Odessa, Texas
Published:
November 14,
2005
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