It Was in His Blood

Carlos closed his eyes and could see them as if he were sitting in their kitchens. He watched with anticipation as they patted the tortillas between their experienced hands. He could already smell and taste those wonderful corn patties as they cooked on the outdoor clay oven. As they cooked, their voices blended together in his memory as he heard lively tales of Mexico’s and family heroes. He didn’t know which was better – eating his grandmothers’ spicy, flavorful meals and their handmade tortillas, or listening to their colorful stories. Both fed, nurtured and satisfied him. Carlos Fuentes was born in 1928 to a Mexican diplomat and grew up straddling multiple cultures. His pre-teen years were basically spent in Washington, D.C. where his father served as legal counsel to the Mexican embassy. During the summers while his U.S. friends were on vacation, Carlos was sent back to Mexico to live with his grandparents and attend school there. From his grandmothers, Carlos learned Mexican history and folklore. He says, “They were the storehouse of these great tales of migrants, revolution, highway robberies, bandits, love affairs, ways of dressing, eating – they had the whole storehouse of the past in their heads and their hearts.” From his elementary schooling in the U.S. he learned North American culture; from the dinner table he was introduced to and followed international politics. Since members of the diplomatic corps are moved frequently, Carlos also lived in and adapted to life in Chile, Argentina and other South American countries. Because of this he learned many cultures and became acutely aware of the shared cultures of the Latin countries. “Being the son of a diplomat, you are constantly forced as a child to change schools, language, friends, ambience. So I had to go from Spanish to English to Portuguese, back to Spanish, back to English, make new friends – but it was challenging.” Carlos became an avid reader and decided at an early age that he wanted to be a writer. At the age of 7 he was writing his own magazine and distributing it throughout the 7-stories of the apartment building in which they lived. Writing was in his blood. “I had published my first stories in Chile when I was 11 years old, and went on from there and won contests in high school.” But his parents insisted he needed a career besides writing and wanted him to pursue a law degree. “. . . the pressure in Mexico at the time was if you are a writer, you will die of hunger, so you must have a professional title.” So Carlos attended the National University of Mexico, received his law degree in Switzerland and followed his father’s footsteps into diplomatic service. But Carlos never lost his love of writing and continued to write while fulfilling his government duties. His first novel, Where the Air is Clear, allowed him to leave the Foreign Service and write full time. Carlos Fuentes became more and more famous as both a writer and political commentator in South America and Spain and then his novel, The Old Gringo, became a best-seller (and a movie) in the United States. He was the first Mexican author to achieve this honor and distinction. Carlos is a prolific writer and popular speaker. He’s even taught at Cambridge, Harvard and Brown Universities. When asked what he felt is the most important thing in life, Carlos replied “Life and love. The quality of love around me. Yes. And the quality of your life.” When it comes right down to it, who we are and how we live and love is the most important thing. If we treat others the way we want to be treated; if we respect others and the planet on which we live; if we embrace our differences and choose to live in peace and harmony with one another, then we will give a lasting legacy to our world. Are you building such a legacy?