In
San Jose, fall comes later than in other cities. Mother Nature lazily puts on a
mild light jacket over her short dress. She indifferently puts light yellow
makeup on her green eyelids, lavender lipstick, and maroon foundation powder on
her dry face, burgundy lotion on her neck, and chocolate sun block on her
limbs. She playfully mixes olive, silver, alabaster, and magenta peacock skin
care mixture on her silky body. Mother Nature looks at herself in the mirror;
she laughs out loud; in the mirror is a colorful Halloween Clown. She goes to
the dry hill covered with pale leaves where children are playing. The children
greet her, “Hello, New Harvest Season! Welcome back, with red, orange, and
walnut Thanksgiving! Sorry, healthy Turkey. We promise to stay away from Halloween
chocolate candies.”
Mother
Nature gently embraces the children and says, “Hi, my future Americans, keep
warm and don’t forget the homeless, hungry children! Pray for the unfortunate
people and our government.”
A
Girl with a black pony tail questions Her: “Why don’t you mention our parents
and educators who care for us the most?”
Mother
Nature grins and praises the Girl: “Good question my dear! You always carry
them in your hearts; you remember and pray for them during your entire life. Let
them take a break. The U.S. government needs your prayers more than ever
before.”
A
Curly-Haired Boy with dark skin puts his hand to his forehead and salutes
Mother Nature in a military style: “Yes, Madam!”
Mother
Nature laughs loudly, “Ha…ha….ha…”
A
Blue-Eyed Boy cries, “Stand still! Salute the flag!”
The
children follow the Blue-Eyed Boy’s direction. They put their right hands on
the left side of their chests, raise their heads ups, and read aloud, “I pledge
Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, one nation under God…”
Mother
Nature cheers them, “I am proud of you, the American future!”
Mother
Nature gives an American flag pin to each child. The children quickly put the
flag pins on their shirts and blouses. They hold hands, make a circle, and
slowly move around Mother Nature. She sings with them, “God bless America; land
that I love….” They point to Her and say, “Mother Nature is the United States.
The United States is Mother Nature.”
She
touchingly sobs, “Thank you for choosing me as a symbol of the United States. I
am honored to represent your young country.”
Mother
Nature starts singing, “This land is your land; this land is my land....”
The
children continue: “From California to the New York Islands…” They point to a
Blond-Haired Girl and sing, “You are America!”
The
Blond-Haired Girl says, “I am the European American. Our ancestors came to the
New Word on the famous Mayflower ship.”
They
point to the dark-skinned Boy, who says, “I am proud of my ancestors, although
they came to the United States as slaves.”
A
Round-Faced Girl asks them, “Don’t you know our ancestors made American
transportation run smoothly? With their bare hands and human strength, they
made many tunnels through the mountains.”
A
Girl with big, round black eyes and a long, colorful skirt adds, “Without our
ancestors’ help, the U.S. crops would rot in the fields. I am a Latina American.”
A
Quiet Girl holds the letter S on her hand and says, “Look, our country’s shape
is shared with California’s shape. We are the youngest ethnic community in the
United States. We have helped the American economy to grow during the 80s and
90s.”
“This
land was made for you and for me…”
Confetti
rain pours down to interrupt their assembly. They look up; over the horizon, a
rainbow has appeared. Inside the rainbow are the words: “You are America. Our
future is yours, young trees.”
San Jose, November 2013
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