"I will always be the son of exiles"

When I first read of, saw and heard Marcos Rubio, Florida speaker of the House, during the speech he gave at CANF --the same day president elect Barack Obama addressed that crowd-- I felt moved by his words and more proud than ever of being Cuban American.

While grabbing the Kleenex, I knew a great future have to lies ahead of this young man and within his words, I found the reasons that made me leave my entire life and family behind, in order to pursue my happiness and to secure a better future for my children.

Rubio is near to end his term in the Florida house and today, Babalú posted a video of the speech he gave during his first day at the job.



It is awesomely great to hear him explain that, even when he will always be the son of exiles, we were never raised to be victims, despite the stories of suffering, broken families and shattered dreams that lies beneath the past of most Cuban families.

He mentions countless examples of success in business and politics; successes achieved by the sons and daugthers of two generations of unfulfilled dreams.

I hope in a few years, when my dear son can watch these videos, he would be able to better understand the roots of his heritage, the reasons to feel proud of being a US-born cubanito.

His mami and papi will always carry with them some of those unfulfilled dreams (although the opportunities this great country has given us have reduced that list to a minimum), but that sacrifice is worth a zillions dollars, just to given him the chance to success, in freedom, and pursuing his happiness, in the place that will not put a cap on the roof on top of his head.