In the aftermath of Saturday's fatal shooting in Arizona, where six people were killed and 14 were wounded, the U.S is now reflecting on how and why this deranged individual committed such a horrendous crime. The left accuses the right of using hateful rhetoric, nudged on by the likes of Sarah Palin. Perhaps what is most worrisome is the ability of someone with psychological problems to purchase a gun. As it turns out, Arizona is a state with lax gun control laws. In fact, the state does not require a permit to carry concealed weapons. As with the Colombine and Virginia Tech shootings, what occurred in Arizona has brought up once again a perennial topic of debate, and one which will never be resolved: gun control.
While practically anyone can carry a gun in Arizona, the same can be said in Puerto Rico. According to an article published by El Nuevo Día back in October, a record number of people applied for a gun permit in 2010. This is largely in response to the rising crime levels, mostly drug-related cases, on the island. People feel safer having a gun in their possession. However, this has not resulted in a lower incidence of crime. There were 982 murders registered in Puerto Rico last year, making it the second most violent. In 1994, the most deadliest, 995 people were murdered. The homicide rate per capita in Puerto Rico is higher than in any other state in the U.S. What's most troublesome is the large number of people on the island who own firearms without the proper documentation. In Puerto Rico, purchasing a gun is almost as easy as purchasing a gallon of milk at a grocery store. For those gun rights activitsts who adamantly believe that owning a gun results in lower crime rates, Puerto Rico proves you wrong. (Photo credit: Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)
This was a summer of evolving and growing, and many lessons learned. For the past few weeks, I've been walking around in absolute bliss. I can now run 13.1 miles in about two hours and 10 minutes. Never did I think this was humanly possible for me. Back in July, I had signed up to run a half-marathon and have been training quite hard for it ever since. As the run date approaches, I am overcome with this immense feeling of excitement and adrenaline. Running has always been something I enjoyed, but I never pushed myself beyond my level of comfort. I had done several 5K and 10K runs, but was always afraid to take it further. My attitude changed once I went back to practicing yoga, which is a crucial part of my training.
As human beings, we sometimes limit ourselves in the way we think about what we can and cannot do. This, in turn, inhibits us from going into unchartered territory. Fear is the root of the problem. Doing yoga helped me deal with this in many different ways. It has given me this sense of confidence and strength that I've never felt before. This is when I had an epiphany and decided to run a half-marathon. Throughout the past few months, I had my many "aha" moments. I fell on my back countless of times while working on doing a full headstand without the help of a wall. Then one day, just out of the blue, I was finally able to balance on my head! Furthermore, albeit against the wall, I can now also do forearm stands as well as handstands. I was practically screaming with joy as I was hanging upside down. Reaching such milestones have taught me a lot about myself and about life in general.
Both running and yoga have shown me the importance of dedication, discipline, and perseverance. It has also taught me not to be afraid of failure, and to let go of your fears or anything that is preventing you from moving forward with your life. This, I know, can be extremely difficult to do. I've also learned to appreciate what I have and how far I've come along. For me, this is the definition of happiness. We often focus on what we don't have, but how about taking a moment to be grateful for what we do have? During my training, I had my bad days, when I wish I could have gone a bit further with my running, or when I just couldn't get my body to twist far enough to get into a pose. Feeling frustrated with myself, but yet never did I give up.
The past few months have been incredible because my training has given me the strength and focus to reach new heights, and helped me overcome a very difficult setback. In the end, the point is to keep learning and growing as a human being, and become a better person. I will always look back at this summer with very fond memories, and with much gratitude to my teachers, family and friends for being so supportive.
It is no secret that the U.S' economy is driven by consumer consumption, Americans love to buy. This culture of consumer frenziness also applies to Puerto Rico. Just as in many other parts of the world, a luxury car is the ultimate status symbol here. When a new product arrives in the island, like the iPad or iPhone, you'll also see lines out the door at most Best Buy stores. Just like the mainland U.S, some Puerto Ricans will spend the night outside department stores in hopes of getting hold of some great bargains on Black Friday. I read a very interesting article recently published in The New York Times titled, "But Will it Make You Happy?" It talks about the growing trend amongst Americans to downsize and cut back on spending, as the economy continues to stagnate. People are now buying less and saving more. According to the article, spending is going more towards things which would maximize their "emotional efficiency."
Material things can only bring us so much satisfaction, as the novelty of it wears off soon thereafter. I've never been one to spend a fortune on clothes, shoes or makeup. I'd much rather spend my money on traveling. Most consumers on the island, like their counterparts on the mainland, have also been more conscientious of their spending. While the personal savings rate in the U.S is estimated to be between 1%-3%, I suspect it's even lower here. Unfortunately, many people on the island live on credit cards and loans. The average household credit card debt in the U.S is an astounding $8,000. Most families on the island are in similar financial straits, if not worse. Adopting a more simplistic and minimalistic way of life is the way to go. I recommend reading "Becoming a Minimalist," an excellent blog focusing on living more with less. This is an old adage which seems to resonate with many people these days. One of the lessons from this difficult economic downturn is that it forces many of us to re-examine our lifestyles, and re-prioritize on the things which truly matter in life.
It's hard to believe that it has been almost four years since I moved back to the island. In some ways it seems like it just happened yesterday, but in other ways it seems like I've been here forever. Perhaps this feeling of ambivalence may sound perplexing to some. Although I was born here, because of my almond-shaped eyes, most people assume that I'm a foreigner or a tourist. Once they hear me speak Spanish, they are fascinated and ask me a bunch of questions. This happens quite often, and I've come to find it amusing and often chuckle about it. While living here for the past few years, I've lost count how many times strangers have struck up conversations with me. In New York, which I still consider my home, I can count them off in one hand!
Since living in Puerto Rico, I've become a lot more open-minded and appreciative of the smallest things in life. Living outside your comfort zone forces you to adapt to your environment. Otherwise, you'll just have to surrender and return to the old and familiar. It's all about perspective. You can either see the glass as half full or half empty. I choose the former. One of the things I love about living on this island is that it has forced me to learn and grow by leaps and bounds. I enjoy being outside of my element, because through such experiences you have a better sense of yourself and your place in this world. Many who move to the island from the mainland tend to have a lengthy list of complaints. This is something which I've always found to be irritating because it's completely futile and counterproductive. One thing I always tell people who are thinking of moving to the Puerto Rico is to never expect things on the island to be the same as they are in the U.S., because they simply aren't.
On the other hand, looking back to these past four years, time seems to have stood still because nothing much has changed in terms of the island's politics, which seems to be more fractured and polarized than before. Crime levels remain high, and the economy is still in the doldrums. Although the island's governor was from the red party (Partido Popular Democrático) four years ago, and the current governor is from the blue party (Partido Nuevo Progresista), it's more of the same. Unfortunately, in terms of the island's quality of life, I cannot say that it has improved at all. Then again, most parts of the world seem to be in a similar predicament.
In the aftermath of Saturday's fatal shooting in Arizona, where six people were killed and 14 were wounded, the U.S is now reflecting on how and why this deranged individual committed such a horrendous crime. The left accuses the right of using hateful rhetoric, nudged on by the likes of 
