In the early seventies, during the April holidays, a young polytechnic student living in Quito decided to travel to Ballenita Beach to spend his vacation by the sea. He asked his parents for the house keys and drove to the peninsula in a white Volkswagen Beetle. His family negotiated with the neighboring family to build a wall because until then only two trees and a shell separated the houses. On that same vacation, the aforementioned family also chose the beach as their destination.

A few hours had passed since Moreira and the young Coello had arrived when, suddenly, the polytechnic fell in love with the green sea of ​​his neighbor’s eyes and allowed himself to be caught up in the silence and whirl that a distant relationship implied. After that vacation, where they talked until every word was wasted trying to get to know each other enough to make a decision, three years passed of daily letters, calls once a week, and visits every two weeks. It was not easy, but nothing worthwhile and in five days, God willing, they will celebrate 50 years of joining their lives.

The engineer and his thin girlfriend continue to walk hand in hand, looking at each other with that tenderness in which is contained the memory of a full life. She continues to charm him with her red lips that stand out against her white skin; His blond hair, now with a little gray, and those eyes that turn soft or fiery depending on his mood. He is still a brunette with a straight nose and honey eyes, although his dark hair has turned silver, his appearance is still intact. Both continue to nurture a love that is nourished by the simplicity of daily details, afternoon coffee, a walk, nostalgia for a son who lives far away, joy for grandchildren who are nearby, prayer for their children and family… as fundamental. column.

In this way, I am convinced that there are no coincidences, but causation, and I like to think that life does not make mistakes. I am sure that there is a time for everything and everything has its time, you just have to be patient, trust and take risks when the opportunity arises. So I start 2024 celebrating this couple’s life decision and feeling proud to be the daughter of this marriage that raised me the old-fashioned way, with lots of patience and love, but without giving me too much explanation about their decisions, they taught me to respect​​ family hierarchy, realizing that the best advice comes from experience and that the family is a place where you can always recharge your batteries to face the world. I was a rebellious daughter, but I am grateful that they never let go of my hand at times when I felt that life was leaving me. They were, are and will be my refuge and reference. Consequently, I end this first issue of the year with Mario Benedetti’s sentence: “What someone really wants is what was created for him; So you have to take or try. “That’s where your life can go, but it’s a much better life.” I’m sure it was with my parents. I’m thankful my grandparents never built that wall. Happy 50th Anniversary! (OR)