In Memory of:

Maria Del Carmen Aguilar January 22, 1924  -  September 7, 1996

The souls of the just are in the hands of God and the torment of malice shall not touch them.  In the site of the unwise they seem to die, but they are in peace. -Mass of All Saints

I have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with many people who have touched my life in some special way. My grandmother, who is no longer with us, has inspired me to become what I am today. "Grandma Carmen" as we called her, was the most strong-headed, strong-willed person I knew. Not a single soul could tell her she couldnt do something. In the prime of her life, she took aliking to politics and campaigning. Being Mexican-American and female in the 1950's, did not exactly "open doors" to what she wanted to pursue. All the doubts and criticism she recieved from people who didn't believe in her, she turned them around and put them into her adrenaline to succeed. She became a translator at the presidential campaign conferences for Nixon. When my mother told me this story, I knew right then and there, my grandmother did that not only for self-satisfaction, but to provide the example that all dreams are possible, to never stop believing in yourself, and to follow your heart. In the last few years of her life, both of her legs and one of her fingers were amputated , due to gangreen bacteria. Though she underwent a great deal of pain, she once told me as I sat beside her bed, just out of the blue... "Desi, If you dont laugh everday, thenyou are boring"  of course I laughed for a long time after she said that, for two reasons: For one that comment took me by complete surprise, and because she made me realize that no matter how negative the situation maybe, just to have a sense of humor. My Mom and I have such a close bond, that we can talk about mostly anything, from boys in my life to what i wear to school everyday. As I am getting older I am grateful that I have my Grandma's spitting image (my mother) to be there for me. Out of all the many things she taught me, the one thing my grandmother stressed the most, was to cherish the relationship i have with my Mom. She told me no matter how much I don't agree with my mother, to always listen to what she had to say to me and to not be afraid to confide in her. I saw a pillow once that said "God put Grandmothers on this Earth to feed our Souls" I smiled and though about how true that was. Grandmothers are women who have experienced, what we as young people,  haven't and they show us the "right path" in life. Of the sixteen years I have had ont his earth, My Grandmother is the person I looked up to the most. She helped me to have strength and faith. She will always be part of who I am and what i will become. ~Desideria Torres