This Puerto Rican girl who is in love with lighthouses is excited to be nominated for the Lighthouse Award

I could say that because I am Puerto Rican, I love lighthouses. However, I am not too sure I could prove a cause and effect or even a correlation between the love of lighthouses and being Puerto Rican. Nonetheless, I will happily note that I often go in search of Lighthouses in my travels both personal business-wise. There is a certain majesty, mystery and magnanimity emanating, radiating from lighthouses. I believe I could happily leave in one. I suppose psychologically it makes sense that I would love lighthouses in that they have historically served to steer the traveler and adventurer. As someone who loves to travel and who has climbed out of deep poverty, a lighthouse is quite a fitting life motif.

Lighthouse in Hawaii

Let me take a step back to note that indeed in Puerto Rico lighthouses are of great import. In 1981, the lighthouse system in Puerto Rico was listed in the national register of historic places. Lighthouses serve as a great source of pride for the small island commonwealth. In the town of Arecibo, which also houses SETI, there is the Arecibo Light Lighthouse which now has an accompanying theme park that highlights the island’s history. Yes, I will go back to my initial assertion and note there is a correlation between being Puerto Rican and loving lighthouses.

Onwards!

The lovely fellow Word Press Blogger D. Parker nominated me for the Lighthouse Award. At that moment, I didn’t necessarily know what the award was about. However, I readily admit I did think for a few seconds the nomination was for my live of lighthouses that somehow the community had divined. Yes, it is a bit nutty the things we note when we look quickly at our blogs in the middle of the night, roadtrip or hectic 7-meeting work day. I eventually looked it up and thought it was such a touching award for which to be nominated.

Specifically, it is an award created by fellow blogger named Coach over at his site Goodtimestories. He created it to note those blogs that bring “light to a dark world.” As someone who considers herself a bit of a harried snarky New York woman, I was taken back by the sentiment and filled with great joy. Someone, about a year ago,noted that ever since giving birth to my most-awesome son i’ve become softer. Although, I still raise my voice and fight a good fight for social justice. I would say having my mother and beloved pet die within a year of each other recently has also touched me to the core and made me more expressive of my love towards all creatures big and small.

Now that I’ve gone all mushy, let me move on with accepting the nomination.

Here are the rules, that are to be paid forward, along with my commentary 😉

1. Display the award certificate on the blog. You will note the certificate is my featured photo

2. Write a post (how meta) and link back to the blogger that nominated you. As I mentioned above D. Parker bestowed this nomination honor upon me. Her blog is called: Yadadarcyyada – Vague Meanderings of the Broke and Obscure and her post titled 25 ways to stay alive in a horror movie is quite insightful and funny.

3. Inform your nominees of their award nominations. Ok. Will do. Here let me nominate them and note that I picked these three because of their commitment to blogging about in an honest and deep manner about societal issues.

The Disappearing Woman over at The Ravenously Disappearing Woman who talks candidly and with great humor about her goal to lose weight.

Valerie South over at So Very Deep in the Closet who talks about the psychology and life of being a cross-dresser.

Cancer is not Pink that posts stories of living with and through breast cancer

4. Share three ways that you like to help other people

a.   I believe in mentorship. With so many bosses out there that get stuck on power differentials, I like to focus on growth. I had people who had my back as I made my way out of my impoverished neighborhood. I will never forget that.

b.   This may be cheating, but I consider my daily work for social justice for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS part of my life’s work where I strive to help society at large.  I serve, oftentimes, as a voice for those that need to be heard

c.  I laugh. I laugh all the time.   A moment of levity is good for everyone. I always try to find the silver lining or the moment of laughter or zen.  Sharing a smile and laughing can do wonders. I highly recommend it!

5. There is no limit to the number of people that you can nominate.

While there is no limit, I wanted to just focus on a few for this particular award post. It is difficult to narrow the nominations down as there is such a great vibrant community out here.  In actuality I would like to nominate everyone who blogs about deep personal things or who puts their stories out there and so forth. By daring to write in the public, you are all shining a light.

6. Have fun.
And that my friends is what blogging in a community is all about!

Cheers and good tidings everyone