La Casita de Mateo

  I overshare  That’s what I do  My heart is broken And that’s the truth I overshare  People stay away From my ocean of tangled thoughts And in it, I am a castaway But I won't give up,  Divine forces will lead me to a safe shore I am loved. I am not alone I overshare  My texts are too long Sometimes it feels as though Folks have gotten tired of my old song But for some, I am their world And for them, I will remain afloat I overshare  But in the past, I used to share My time and money with old friends.  So many friends we think we have  During the sunny days, And these life lessons  Lead us to true friends And to the people that genuinely care. Yeah, life hurdles are the only ways to discover true friends  I overshare  And some blame me.  They think I do this to myself, And overnight I can easily change. But it is not that easy, I say. Much happens in my great evolving brain!  I overshare  And my life problems don...

I  am a migrant, I embarked on a long journey many years ago. I am a student who gets straight A grades but can't get financial aid. I can't remember the day I came here or where I came from. America is all I know. I am a migrant, I am an exchange student who still owes the banks in her home country more than half of the money she took on loans to come here, years ago. I am a migrant, I am a quinceañera who helps her father install the sheetrock in your new home and paint your walls. I am no princess. There's no time for me to dream or play. I have to help my family; this is the migrant way.  I am a migrant, I am a refugee who saw the devil in the eye at age 14—a machete cutting my best friend in half. My life was spared, but my spirit was forever tormented. Nightmares and panic attacks haunt me day and night. But I work hard and get distracted. Staying busy keeps me from reacting. I am a migrant, I have seen it all: poisonous snakes, raped women, and dead children. I am a ...

  Hey you, The one who is suffering, The one who feels like a leper Because your circle of friends keeps getting smaller and smaller. The one who can no longer host big parties. I am not afraid of your pain, I will not go the cowardly way and tell you that I remain silent because I just don't know what to say. I don't know what to say; in fact, I have no idea what to say And I may say something foolish But if I can't say something eloquent or poetic, I will silently stand right here, next to you. Because I am going to put my ego aside, and I am not going to feel that you will drag me into your pain, If I dare to love you, I can lift you and carry us both into a safe zone, And by that, I don't mean I will lend you money or try to fix your pain Because neither of us can fix each other's problems, Only God can. And I am humble enough to tell you that this is not your fault, Because I am not like others. Those who want to believe you caused this pain to yourself, Becaus...

  Dear Mr. Employer, Whoa!! I finally got someone's attention after years of sending countless resumes, apparently ignored by every employer. So, this is where you only take six seconds to skim through this letter, right? By the way, it took me weeks, months, or well, to tell you the truth, years to put it together. The freaking letter has been edited and revised by nearly everyone I know: my local pastor, my best buddy, my wife, my husband, my girlfriend, my brother-in-law (he is so bright), the cat and the dog… even the python pet has seemed to have an opinion! It took me this long and this much because I am supposed to pack my whole life into a single page. I am supposed to tell you my life story (well, just the good and rosy part), why I am so unique, and how much I look forward to an interview! Well, to tell you the truth, I dread the thought of putting myself through ANOTHER job interview. I have been to so many I can no longer count. The job interviews have become a battlefi...

Two years ago, when I decided to join Facebook, I was excited. I thought I was entering a fascinating human connection and open communication world of encounters and reencounters, of family and friends. And I did encounter some of that. However, I also experienced the harmful events of social media and its negative impact on my mental health. Writing is my therapy, and so is discovering myself and opening my heart to the world.   I had jobs that entailed helping people, which led me to see the world from a different perspective; I learned that even though most of us want to hide it, we all suffer. We all have fears, dreams, hopes, and insecurities. We all feel vulnerable at times. Connecting with wonderful, brilliant people who struggled with homelessness, stigma, isolation, addictions, unemployment, poverty, depression, and anxiety made me see the world through a different lens. I learned we are all susceptible to similar struggles; we can all become the people we judge… in an ins...

 Once upon a time, in a  lousy place,  Lived a gorgeous princess with a gorgeous face And she thought she had a prince, Who was everything but. A man was so lousy as their lousy place. He was mean and violent, his actions a disgrace. And the princess and her lousy palace had no luxuries, servitude, or food, Terrified, she lived off her man’s volatile moods And the palace moved from place to place, each time turning lousier, dirtier, and a crowded space And the princess had two babies to feed and clothe, But no prince to support them at all. So one day, The princess managed to escape The chains of her lousy prince and his wretched place A place of wonders in a faraway land Too far from the misery she had left behind, But the wonders turned into nightmares  As the new home became vicious and dark  Resentful some became for giving her a hand  And entitled to control her life. So the princess cried out for help, And met a prince via an online dating app. And so...

I don't belong My shadow says,  I don't belong; I don’t fit in Never have I, never will be I don't belong to the north  I don't belong to the south I don't belong to the United States at all I don't belong to Colombia  Since I boarded that plane, I sent a piece of me away I don't belong to fancy restaurants  Nor to shiny pendants. I don't belong to social media, To my smartphone, or the media. I don't belong to extremes I don't belong to the in-between  I don't belong to Buddha completely,  I want life’s eternity, Because it is God’s promise  And the only way,  To one day see my baby. And I belong to no religion It is man-made and creates division. So who am I, and where do I belong? These questions perpetually permeate my soul.    And… I think I know… I belong to the sky-high trees, To the wind and the breeze. I belong to the starry night, To the moon and her bright light. I belong to Jesus. He is like me.  With all my imperfection...