Excerpt: Hidden Mountain; America

 

“America is a tune, it must be

Sung together, and we must strive to

achieve consensus on this issue.”

— Proverb recorded in the United States

A speech given by Antonio in Hidden Mountain

" The meaning is fitting of our task ahead.

America, by design, was a mother, a gigantic uterus prepared to give birth to the new. As her contractions increased, the labor was not easy, and she experienced great pain.

A Nation born from love, her likeness stood in the harbor as a reminder of that unconditional love.

Amanda couldn’t believe it. Antonio was reciting an oratory she had written, one she had never shown him. He smiled and winked at her.

America was not a brother vulnerable to sibling rivalry and competition. America was a mother, a loving mother, who loves her children, and respects the children of other mothers. Her children misbehave, yet she still loves them.

She could control her children’s lives, but biting her bottom lip, she holds her breath, knowing they must be free to find their own way. Mother America could provide for her children, and their necessities, but she does not.

Sometimes it causes her pain, since she cannot deny them their journey. Sometimes forced to watch her children suffer in pain and agony, she’s always there to love, and comfort. Her primary goal exists to allow her children’s journey without her interference.

She must walk a fine line with her children, loving them all equally. As a child’s battles may cause a Mother’s pain, she knows she must only help without paralyzing, or demeaning the child’s own abilities. After the battle, the child must once again go out alone.

Misbehaved, as children tend to be, their punishment must be swiftly appropriate. Once punished, their adventure must continue, free to journey once again.

America, the great mother, often finds great sadness within her children’s rivalries. One of her toughest jobs, she loves each child unconditionally. However, her required fairness does not allow a set of wavered rules.

More importantly, she understands that her children must learn, and grow. Therefore, she must often remain quiet.

The greatest mother knows some will succeed beyond her expectations. She will beam with pride and respect. Some of her children will struggle and fail. Knowing she must push them, ultimately she must allow their freedom.

In the past, some of her children toiled with failure, daunting, and seemingly insurmountable even in her old age. Somehow, someway, these children persevere. Her struggling children have risen from the depths of their own souls, and slain their Dragon of Defeat, by striving to succeed.

The mother understands her ceaseless job, the only one that must remain the same. Despite unending anguish, that pelts her like the seasons, she knows her children’s maturation depends upon her consistent lack of interference.

The mother is wise, her unconditional love undaunted. Her children are her own. With the ability to alleviate so many of their struggles, and mediate all of their disagreements, she could with ease, deliver their necessities in a pretty package.

She could force her children to consult, and inform her much more often. Perhaps, institute more rules and decide career paths for them. Controlling what they eat, she could name the doctor’s that would treat them.

Maybe she could control the treatment, and the doctors, that remedy diseases. She could run the companies where her children work, or own their home loans, and their homes.

The Great Mother often struggles with questions of herself along these lists of issues. She loves her children deeply, longing for the day they will emerge from adolescence, becoming mature and loving adults.

Her children have long teetered on the verge of true maturation. Adolescence, an ugly stage, is the least of her favorite phases. The schizoid nature undermines development, and unnerves her daily with their petty behavior.

Bullying, fighting, cheating, identity crises, and abundant tragedy, she must be strong. Selfless, stable, her wisdom vast, she understands how to alleviate their struggle.

By increasing her control she’d quiet adolescents, and make things seem so easy, but ultimately, she knows this would be a selfish act. Any act providing her with more power, or control, could make her life more easy, and her heartburn would be healed. However, her children suffer more, forever stuck, un-grown, or worse - they are regressed.

No, she is well aware her job must be maintained, as she must raise her children free from domination as best she can. They must find their answers, constantly change, and solve their own dilemmas. She must only encourage, and serve as a role model, acceptant without restraint.

 The Great Mother knows by changing, she would cease to be what she always was - America the Great unconditionally loving mother.

“My own immigrant family is an example of the relationship, and love, our Great Mother affords those whom choose to strive.

In the 1950’s, my Pop came to law school in the US, he returned to Cuba to marry my mom and start their life. My brother José, and sister Nydia, were both born in Cuba. Pop practiced law there and bought a home, with the intention of living his life, and raising his family in the beautiful island country.

Instead, things began to change, and became communistic, as Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Raúl Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos, and others began a revolution to take over of the government. Pop, along with several others, organized against the rebels, but the movement became too bloody. During the years he spent getting an education in the States, he became very familiar with America, the Great Mother.

In 1961, Maurice Dominguez brought his mother, wife, and two children from Cuba into the arms of our America. They left everything behind in Cuba.

At the checkpoint, almost free from Cuba, they were stripped of all their family heirlooms and jewelry, except for my Grandmother’s wedding rings. Pop had hidden the rings in my brother José’s diaper. He couldn’t bear my Grandmother’s loss of the one physical reminder that remained of my Grandfather.

My Pop came to the United States with less than a thousand dollars. He began practicing law in Miami, representing the indigent. Pop allowed them to pay what they could for their legal services, and helped a lot of people in dire situations.

Later, he made contact with some old schoolmates, and quickly had a hugely successful law firm in Miami.

My Father soon purchased our wonderful family home near South Beach. The Dominguez Law Firm, and the Dominguez family home are still the center of my family’s lives.

None of this would be possible without Mother America being who she was, and hopefully, who she’ll remain. My own family is a testament of the Great Mother’s Beauty in the Land of Possibility.

Let the adventure begin.”

Sammy Sutton