Querencia

Ever wish that you could go to a place were you could just relax and forget your worries?  Or  a place you could go to bring back good memories? Well this wish was granted for me when I first wnet to the Tenrikyo temple.

I first went to the temple during my fourth year in judo.  I had just been selected to play in the junior olympics that would be held in Florida.  The church had decided to hold a blessing for the players that would be going to compete in the mainland.  When I first stepped onto the cold wooden floor with my barefeet an overwhelming presence i can not describe came over me.  The sweet aroma of insence burning, the ringing of the gongs and the chant of prayers being hummed by revrend and bishop sato made the presence grow stronger.  After the prayesrs bishop gave us a blessing and words of wisdom to remember on the tripp.

The next week we left for the tournament.  The team was ready and itching to play and twitchin with excitement.  On the day of the competition all the excitment seemed to dissappear and transform into nervousness and worry.  As we stared into the crowds of competitior filled with diffent quantities of races we became more and more nervous.  As Sensei Chow looked at us sensing the nervousness, he said only five words " Remember the words of revrend"  At that moment I closed my eyes and the voice of bishop came into my head " Clear your mind."  I took a deep breath and stared into the crowd agian this time looking at them just like they were normal humans. I had a mindset the said I can do this.  When it was my tuned to compete I stepped onto the cold tatami mat and was ready for my opponent.  By the end of the day i had won eight matches contributin to the twelve gold medals we took home that day. 

When we landed at the airport hugs, kisses and leis were given to us. I had never appreciated hawaii so much.  The next day I went to the temple. The same smell and soudns were there, the only difference I felt was the presence. I could finally describe it. Peace.  It was something I had not felt in a long time. Now I gao there once a year just to feel that presecne and to alway bring back the memories that will stay with me for life. 

my place of peace

The tenrikyo temple, a quiet peacful and calming place.  Just hearing the sound of the gong ringing before i go through the door turns me into a whole new person.  I seem to become one with nature and so peaceful that I can do anything.The burning but sweet aroma of incense and the humming and praying of revrend mel and the other members add up to this wonderful place.

Roots and recipes

The sour smell of vinegar, the spicy scent of black pepper and the sizzling sound of my mom's pan boiling and cooking the meat makes my mouth water knowing that she is making adobo.  As cousins, uncles, and i wait outside itching for the women (my aunties, sister, mom, and nana) to bring out the food we try to do activities such as playing cards or telling corny jokes to get our mind off the feast that we were about to have.  My cousin would be thinking about aunties pancit, my uncle thinking about nana's lumpia, but i know we all are waiting for something in common and that is the corrales ladies famous adobo.
As i run up and down the hall of my nana's house irratating my grandma and mom as they are making a dish i had never smelt before.  It smelt really good, like the smell of meat, vinegar, and some scent i could not name.  I kept trying to tippy toe trying to get a glimpse of what was producing this wonderful scent, and every time i remember my nana or mom saying ''go outside and wait for your cousin'sm they are coming for dinner.'' I remember trying to get smart with them and grabbing a couple of my Christopher Bear  books and using them to stand on.  i almost lifted the lid but somehow my grandma had spotted me and whack! the wooden spoon she was holding came down as fast as lightning and ended up on the back of my hand.  I dropped the lid way faster then the spoon came down and ran out of there before i got my ears chewed    off.
It took another thirty minutes before i could get the feeling back in my right hand and by then all my aunties, uncles and cousins were here.  The ladies brought out all the pans that were filled with foods like dininguan, pancit, soup and of course rice.  The only food that was missing was the unfamiliar dish that I waited to see for a bout an hour.  We blessed the food and made our plates.right when i am about to finish making my plate the pot comes out with my mom holding it.  I immedeately run to her and lift the lid.  I am unsuprised to see that it was meat since i had picked that up while they were making it.  I waste no time staring at it and put five pieces on my plate.  I take a seat and put piece in my mouth and spit it out almost simultaneously.  It was hot, like put your toungue on fire hot, in other tems SPICY!!!!!  I look around hoping no one saw me, but my dad must have because he asked me why i spit it out.  I didn't answer and put it back in as soon as possible.  I eventually ate all five pieces and didn't spit any of them out.  when everyone left I asked my mom on the way home what the meat was called and why was it spicy.  When she told me it was adobo i made a mental note in my mind to make sure i eat that every time i see it. She aslo told me the spicciness camr from the balck pepper, and naturally i made a mental note to take those out when i eat it. 
From that day on I have always eaten adobo. No matter which filipino resteraunt we eat at though, whether it be max's in waipahu or any of the golden coin chains, none of them can make it as good as my mom.