Take care of Yourself

Every now and then we get a winter season here in Guanajuato that includes a week of clouds, low temperatures, and rain. When this happens everyone suffers because even northerners like me can get very attached to sunshine and mild winters, and when it turns cold we whimper a lot. It is also a dangerous time for the poor people, especially those that are very young and very old, and those with dirt floors and leaky roofs. When I was a little boy we had what we called "feetsie pajamas" to keep us warm but it has been many moons since I could find a pair that would fit me. I am  thinking that to get a pair now I would have to visit Omar the tent maker and have them custom made. But...as hope springs eternal and Spring is right around the corner, I probably won't need them until next year anyway so there is no rush. In Spanish, "feetsie pajamas" are called "mameluco". This reminds me of one of my favorite little stories which I think is worthy of repetition.

Un niño, de rodillas y vestido con su mameluco de niño, rezaba con dulce voz sus oraciones de la noche: "Diosito: cuida a mi papá. Cuida a mi mamá. Cuida a mis hermanos. Cuida a mi abuela. Cuida a mi perro. Y cuídate Tú también, Diosito, porque supongo que si algo Te pasa a Ti a todos nos lleva la fregada...

A little boy, on his knees and dressed in child's feetsie pajamas, was saying his bedtime prayers in a sweet voice: "Dear God, take care of my papa, take care of my mama, take care of my brothers (and/or sisters). Take care of my grandma. Take care of my dog. And take care of Yourself too, dear God, because I suppose that if something ever happened to You then everything would go to hell...