Cinco De Mayo

This has been a really "interesting" few days or so for me, so I thought I'd share some brief insights. For those of you who are planning to spend your Cinco de Mayo lost in a haze of Coronas, tequila, and spicy dishes, first know this: Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexican Independence Day, as it is often called casually.

Mexico won its independence from Spain on September 15, 1810. Cinco de Mayo is about Mexicans taking a stand with the U.S. and against Napoleon for the right to control their own politics... their way of life ... their well-being.

After several conversations with male "friends" and my girls recently, I can see how often we give people FAR too much control over our emotional happiness. Some people manipulate, lie, avoid and hurt as a part of their nature. But, we as individuals are the only people who control what affect those actions ultimately will have on us.

My Cinco de Mayo Celebration has nothing to do with the people of Mexico, though it was definitely inspired by their actions. I join them in saying "You will NOT just land here and destroy everything that I hold dear. Your influence in my life is on a permission-basis only."

Your lesson for today? Don't ever allow someone to come into your space, plant flags and claim sovereignty when they've done nothing to cultivate the soil.