Written By: Michael Sandoval
“The Goodbyes”
“Bye For Now, Not Forever”
We have all experienced saying goodbye to someone or something we love in our lives. Most goodbyes are casual and effortless due to the understanding that there will be another reunion that transpires. Some arrive with lots of emotion on account of strong human affection and desire. Some surprise you because they come so unexpectedly. There are a few in life that make your heart melt with so much sentiment that there are little words to describe them. Today I experienced a tremendous combination of all of the above and more!
I left Spain this afternoon and I am excited to be heading home to see my extraordinary family. As I sat on board of an empty plane at an altitude of 35,000 feet (10,600 meters) overlooking the terrain of wide variations of the Spanish coast, I began to think about how much these last few months have positively impacted me. I could not stop thinking about having had such an incredible opportunity to spend time with two extraordinary young individuals! Zoey and Olivia! The last few months we have had the chance to really get to know each other. When I arrived in March Olivia could hardly hold her head up (she is a baby of course). I’ve seen her grow from a little wobble head baby, to the “Wormpy” crawler as we called it, (a little worm crawl) and now into the child that will eat anything you put in front of her as long as she can hold it in her hands, hahaha. She has shown us her charm, her character and certainly the stunning rainbow of energy and glow that she exemplifies and passes onto us all. Zoey, her sister has tuned into such an amazing little human. She has shown me that she is ready to take on the Universe (she is only 3 years by the way). She is a go-getter and she will play a big part in this world. Upon arriving to Spain, we would play her favorite game, “Doctor”. She was so curious of what I had to say in Spanish; she carefully paid close attention as we spoke about things that were unfamiliar. I surely remember my second day in Spain… She kindly asked if I would watch television with her. She grabbed her Ipad and then my hand and said “Michael, vamos”…. We laid down and watched Masha the Bear, (one of her favorite cartoons) and as we rested quietly my eyes began to droop. I fell asleep….. About 2 hours later I woke up and the Ipad laid across her face and her head rested on my shoulder. She was completely in a coma…. It was a fantastic moment. The last three months have been full of moments like these.
Saying goodbye was difficult. This morning was the moment when I realized that change would come and that the faces and voices that I was used to hearing and seeing would not be around in the days to come. It was extremely sad to have thought about leaving my close family in Spain Chantal and Wouter. They have been a true blessing. It was a little harder leaving their 3 year old little girl Zoey. I hold a special place in my heart for her.
For some reason, I had the deepest feeling of emotion when I thought about leaving the youngest of them all. Who would have known that baby Olivia could have touched my heart so immensely the last three months.
This afternoon I held her in my arms and began to weep. I thought about waking up every morning for the last 90 days and walking into the kitchen. Each morning, I would walk in with my eyes still half-way shut, my body dragging craving coffee and my stomach ready for the first bite of the day.
Upon entering the kitchen and making the first turn into the dining room I would see this bright light of energy. It was Olivia… She sat in her baby chair with her generous smile as if she knew it was a gift to the world. She looked at you with awareness and somehow understood that you needed her and without words she was telling you that she needed you.
After seeing her every morning I knew that each day would be fantastic… I mean; how could they not be great days after seeing that glorious smile…
Each week was a new adventure for Olivia… She would have new fantastic facial expressions, new eating habits that she would experiment with and let’s not forget about new found levels of sounds she would make to communicate her opinion. She had a fearless approach with her actions. In the last weeks she began to have the funniest form of excitement bursts. She would kick her legs rapidly and jolt her head back as if she were riding a bull at a rodeo. Each of her actions performed with either a laughter or a loud continuous chant as a way to show her enthusiasm. It was such a pleasure to see.
I write this to you all…. Chantal, Wouter, Zoey and Olivia! I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the experiences that we have had together during these “Difficult” times.
I am thankful that you are a part of my life and grateful that with every goodbye there will be a chance to encounter another spectacular Hello! Please always remember… It is….
“Bye For Now, Not Forever”
Zoey and I being Silly | Casa Mooi Leven 2020
Baby Olivia Joining in on the fun | Casa Mooi Leven 2020
Sisters Forever!!! | Nerja Spain 2020