There are times when life takes unexpected turns, and it can turn upside down. When Paola's future seemed bleak, she decided to take what she had and used it to succeed in life. At fourteen years old, she was taken away to marry a man much older tha...
Her body was moving to the rhythm of the rosy melody. Her brown hair was neatly braided, and she was wearing her hand-embroidered Mexican dress. Her name was Paola Zarate, and she was fourteen years old. There was Benjamin Chavez, my great-grandfather, who was twenty years of age, falling in love with my great-grandmother performing for her dance competition for school. That faithful night he threatened her after the dance competition. He wanted her to be his wife, and if she refused, he would kill her father. Paola reluctantly went with him.
She did not know the basics of housekeeping as she was focusing on school and did most of the chores of her parent's farm, such as feeding the chickens and milking the cows. Benjamin hired a maid to do the housekeeping as his mother was frequently visiting them. Benjamin's mother was always impressed at how the house was clean and tidy. She began to learn from the maid and began to do the housekeeping all on her own until she became pregnant with her first child. As she was pregnant, Benjamin had an intimate relationship with an older woman. She was beautiful and was known as "La Rosa Linda" in the village. Paola was enraged by the revelation. Not only he took her away from her family, and now he had the nerve to be with another woman.
Paola had a duty to fulfill with the Lord and will continue to push with the marriage. She made a promise to God that she will remain with Benjamin until death separates them. A few months later, her first child never saw the light of day as she had a miscarriage. Paola ends up having three more miscarriages and ten children throughout her life. She did not continue with her education, but she still managed to have businesses of her own. One of her businesses was to sell washable sanitary pads as it was a problem in the village for women when it came to their periods. She managed house duties as well as owning her business.
Paola also was the teacher of traditional Mexican dance. The village custom is every year had a group of girls dancing for Jesus being born in December. Paola always helped those in need and gave money specifically to my grandmother, who is my father's mother, for them to buy something to eat as she was a widowed mother with seven children. Paola Zarate raises all of her children and provided primary education, values, and discipline. All of them are married and still holds to her values until this day. I admire my great-grandmother because she chose to work with my great grandfather and learn to love him. They never fight in front of the children neither raised their voices. My great grandmother found peace with her life despite the fact there was twist and turns. The experience made her the woman she was and the leader of her village. She is what I inspire to become.
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