Cuba
Glimpse of Cuban Life
"Fifty years of isolating Cuba had failed to promote democracy, setting us back in Latin America. That's why we restored diplomatic relations, opened the door to travel and commerce, and positioned ourselves to improve the lives of the Cuban people" -Barack Obama
As we enter the final week with President Obama in charge, I want to thank him for so much. He has held the highest office with integrity, compassion and a humble brilliance. This photo symbolizes the "opened door." I was able to get a brief glimpse into Cuban life thanks to Obama's decision to lift the sanctions.
This photo was taken at a school in Trinidad, Cuba. I was walking by a crumbling wall when I came across this little hole. It was maybe 8 inches long by 6 inches high. When I took a peak inside, it was a perfect framed scene of kids playing basketball during recess. For me, this photo represent so much. Clearly it's just a glance at life...I do not pretend to command expertise on Cuba after my brief visit....but I did get a glimpse of what life is like....and in the end, it is a place full of abundant life and humans being humans. One of my favorite photography quotes is by Sally Mann. "Photographs open doors into the past but they also allow a look into the future." Even though many Cubans have suffered through incredible hardships and repression and much of the infrastructure is crumbling....they remain vibrant and full of life and play. Thanks in large part to Obama, many Americans like myself can now visit a place that has lived in our perceived imaginative past, and hopefully with a bit of a better understanding and restoring relations, we can look to a brighter future with Cuba. It has long been a forbidden fruit, but now we have the chance to taste it and savor in all of its complex flavors.
