La Bendición as part of the Latino Traditions

    
    This is a short story about la bendición. La bendición is a tradition that is part of the Latino culture, also known in the United States as the Hispanic culture. La bendición is an important tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. And, it plays an important role among Latino families because it is related to giving a word of protection. It is a blessing that gives hope for the good outcome of whatever situations faced throughout the day or when taking a challenge in life, for instance when going for a job interview or going on a trip. La bendición can be translated into English as: the blessing.
 

     I remember asking for la bendición since early age, actually, I was very little. I clearly remember my first day at elementary school. I went to elementary school in Venezuela, and had to wear uniform. The first day of school, I was given a small amount of money for lunch, that is the way it used to be done back then, but I also remember receiving the blessing, la bendición, from my mother. The other special moment that I remember is when all my cousins, aunts and uncles would go visit grandma, and grandpa. We always had a piece of sweetbread, and coffee with milk before going to bed. And, right after we would finish eating, before we would go to bed, it was part of our customs to ask grandma and grandpa for la bendición.

     Asking for la bendición may sound simple, but for us, it is a very important part of the daily routine.  In a typical day, first thing in the morning, kids would ask for la bendición to the mother or father they may live with. And, it may sound kind of different for few Latino people, but we practice la bendición in our family, and it seems so normal! Atypical would be not to ask for la bendición, and if that would be the case, the family elder would say: “Listen boy (or girl), don’t you ask for la bendición?”

     For the most part, we all, brothers, sisters,  and cousins would volunteer to ask for la bendición to our parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. It also meant a salutation or greeting that was given with respect and the love from our hearts. Actually, to me, what gives the most importance to la bendición is the fact that it represents a sign of love and family unity with a religious connotation.  I remember when my dad was alive, I was already a grown up person, and receiving la bendición from him was a true thing from heaven. I felt that whatever I was going to do, if I received la bendición from my dad, I was going to be truly successful on that. It gave me a sense of protection.

     La  bendición   is  a spiritual  statement  that  would  lift  up  the  soul, give hope for a good outcome, and it is meant to provide with a meaningful moment. Also, we would give la bendición among friends. The heartfelt words would be remembered throughout the day. This is a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation among many members of the Latino community, much more specifically among people from places such as: Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic.  Sadly, as any tradition, the  custom of asking for the blessing could go away at some point. As a matter of fact, I know about Latinos from some other countries that do not practice la bendición.
 

     I would like to mention that another moment in which we, ourselves, are reminded to ask for la bendición is when we initiate or finish a phone conversation with an elder family member. La bendición also represents a rule to socialize better with our family elders. So, it is also used as a form of greeting. 
 

     La bendición means love, respect, and it is part of the Latino's warm personality. La bendición is a custom that makes us unique, and reflects the important values of the Latino culture. Even though, it is not practiced by every Latino or Hispanic, la bendición is a blessing that carries hope for our dreams to come true. Also, it gives sense of protection that enhances the courage needed to deal with the challenges that we face in a very competitive society. As it occurs now a days in the United States where a great percent of the population are of  Latino or Hispanic origin.

     I would like to conclude with the following,  la bendición is part of my life, it is a tradition that I grew up with, and it has a valuable meaning for my entire family. Most importantly, it is a tradition part of the Latino heritage, and it has contributed to help build the person I am. It is a tradition that I feel is important because it represents love and protection, and like other Latinos I am on the road to passing it down. We, the ones that practice la bendición, believe that it helps in the process of being strong when facing life challenges. La bendición means unity, love, and it represents the protection from a higher power through the words of our beloved family elders.