Infrontofthechurchdownthestreet,amangerhadbeensetup,withMary,Joseph,andthebarnanimalsinexpectationofmidnightandthearrivalofbabyJesus.Istoodwithmyneighborswatchingthescene,someofthemcrossingthemselves,praying.AsIwalkedhome,IrealizedthatthestoryofJosephandMarywanderingfromdoortodoorseekingshelterwasmuchlikemyownhistory.LeavingPuertoRicowasstillawoundinmysoulasIstruggledwithwhoIhadbecomein15yearsintheUnitedStates.I’dmournedthelosses,butforthefirsttime,IrecognizedwhatI’dgained.Iwasindependent,educated,healthy,andadventurous.Mylifewasstillbeforeme,fullofpossibility.

在街道尽头的教堂前，布置好了一条马槽，玛丽、约瑟夫和马厩里的动物们都在期待着午夜到来，耶稣降临。我和邻居站在那里看着这幅场景，有些人手画十字、低头祷告。在回家路上，我意识到约瑟夫和玛丽挨家挨户寻求庇护的故事就如同我自己的经历。离开波多黎各始终是我心头难以化解的痛楚，我一直在想，15年的美国生活让我变成了一个什么样的人。我本应为我所失去的感到难过，但那一刻，我第一次认识到我获得了什么。我是一个独立的、受过良好教育的、健康的、富有冒险精神的青年。生活的道路就在我的脚下，充满了无尽的可能性。

Sometimesthebestgiftistheoneyougiveyourself.ThatChristmas,IgavemyselfcreditforwhatI’daccomplishedsofarandpermissiontogoforward,unafraid.ItisthebestgiftI’veeverreceived,theonethatImosttreasure.