Grace “What am I thinking, ” I said to myself as I got on the elevated train to meet Dianne.   It was November 1988 and I was in the middle of working on a major paper for class at Philadelphia College of Bible (Cairn University now).   I did not expect a call from Dianne and I was really surprised to hear her voice over the telephone.   “We need to talk,” she said in a discouraged voice.   “I’m in the middle of finishing a paper for class tomorrow,” I said.   “It’s important,” she replied.   “Well, I did not have dinner, yet.   Can we meet at the Burger King near you?”   I knew Dianne lived near a Burger King and it was near the elevated train stop so we made plans to meet there.   I shut down my computer, grabbed my coat and went out the door.   Grace. Dianne and I met at a mutual friend’s wedding; we were members of the wedding party.   Dianne was a friend of the bride and I was a friend of the groom.   Both the b...

A Heart's Song I was in my last year of high school when I started to write my own song lyrics and music with my guitar.   Later, I was invited to sing some of the songs I would write during Chapel services on Sunday afternoons. One of the very first songs I wrote has the following verse. I always wished that I could fly Had two wings and took to the sky Never knowing that I’d soon will Be able to fly and walk the earth still In my adolescent years I would have dreams at night about flying.   My dreams would always start off with my walking out of the house turn right or left onto the avenue, run and bounce off the ground like Superman; the televised version played by George Reeves.   I would find myself hovering above the streets flying below the electric wires and then try to get above beyond the electric wires and trying not get tangled in them.   These dreams would be so very real and often repeated in my childhood, through Junior and...

Traumatic Memories Growing up, I got a lot of beatings from my Dad; they hurt, the back of my legs had welts and bled and it was painful to sit on the wooden chairs in elementary school.   I cannot remember when I got my first beating from Dad and for what but I can sure remember my first and only beating from Mom, one of my earliest memories. I hear some people say they can remember things as far back to at least two years old.  It's rare to hear someone say they can remember when they were a year old.    I cannot remember anything prior to the age of three.   There is one memory that I can recall from the age of three; so vivid, so clear that I can retell this memory in the order in which it happened.   I know I was three because m y mother told me how old I was because she was in the very memory and I will never forgotten what happened... nor will my behind... ouch, ouch, and ouch! It was a Saturday morning, very early because my Mom a...

Go Ahead and Laugh I loved watching Kids Say the Darnedest Things hosted by Art Linkletter which aired on CBS from the 50’s to the 70s.   Most of the children on the show would be about 5 to 8 years old.   Art Linkletter would ask them, questions regarding life at home with Mom and Dad, friends and neighbors, events at school and current world events.   It was funny to hear the innocent replies of the children and imagine what facial expressions of shock, embarrassment and/or surprise parents would have sitting in the audience; you would always hear the laughter.   Here are some examples from old clips of the show I found on YouTube.   Go ahead and laugh. 1.          What do you want to be when he grow up “A bus driver or a pilot.” If you were a pilot what would you do if all four engines on the plane stopped what would you say? “Our Father, who art in heaven...” 2.        What ...

Family Tree I enjoy working on my family tree; have been working on it since 1995 when I took a course in Marriage and Family in Seminary.   I like discovering when, where and what about my ancestors and wading through periods of time in history in which they lived.   If particularly observant when examining birth, death and census records one discovers their ethnic origins and cultural history; health and medical history; how long people lived and were their ancestors native born or immigrants and why did they migrate. Working on my family tree opens doors of understanding as to who I am, what I inherited and what I believe.  I was thrilled when I heard the following in Church one Sunday morning.                                                                               ...

Happy Birthday, Dad! Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you” (Exodus 20:12) Benigno Virgilio Rodriguez y Suarez, my father was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico on January 31, 1930.   Had my Dad lived, he would be 89 years old today.   However, he died on July 2, 1985 of cardiac arrest due to Emphysema which included an unknown lung infection that his physician was not able to identify.   He was only 55.   My Dad always told us that he was born on Three Kings Day, January 6.   We grew up believing this until I discovered his birth registration on the Internet while working on the Rodriguez Family Tree. My Dad was not open about his family, his childhood or his feelings.   What I saw and understood as a child growing up, my Dad was not always content; he was always right and could never admit when he was wrong.   Dad struggled to be successful, he fought hard t...

Kassiquan is an attempt at creating my very own “Blog Site;” my first and only place I will “blog” and probably the last place I will “blog.”  I never “blogged” before and will probably make a few blunders along the way.  Although, come to think of it, “blogging” is similar to writing a comment or thought in an editorial for a newsletter or magazine; or what you may read in devotionals such as Our Daily Bread, The Upper Room and The Word Among Us.  In 1987 I inherited a Bible Study Ministry called, The Sunshine Corner Bible Class which included a class newsletter which members of the class who were also “pen pals” were free to submit their own writings; poetry, short stories and reflections to share with other members.  As the editor of Sunshine Corner, I would include my own reflections.  Yes, in a way I was already “blogging.” My original idea was to name my blog site, Cacique (ka-thi-ke ) which is Taino for “ chief ,” a leader of a tribe.  In the Tia...