After The Rain is Only Part of the Story

     This story is amazing, but the story about how this story came to be is even more amazing.  In November of last year, I had a gentleman inquire about taking Spanish lessons with me. He joined my small beginner's  adult class in a coffee shop here in town.  He couldn't help telling me that his wife and himself had plans to visit Cuba in  March of the following year.  He wanted to learn Spanish...period. His enthusiasm was contagious, and before I knew it his wife had enrolled in the class as well.  Hoping they were not learning Spanish just for travel, I made sure they had basics to get  around.  It is not uncommon for travelers to  take a couple of months of classes to gain a bit of vocabulary and confidence and then, not continue to become speakers.  However, I was wrong about this man.
    When he and his wife returned from their trip to the Key of the Antilles, I was happily entertained by his stories and adventures.  He was particularly excited to tell me of a art studio he had encountered.  An art teacher had opened his small studio to teach disabled children.  What a wonderful soul! My student couldn't wait to offer monetary assistance to this teacher. He wasn't sure how to get the funds over to the art teacher, but he quickly figured out how to fund raise. He told me that he had designed a tee-shirt from a motto he saw on the wall of the art studio. It read, "The only disability is to have no heart."
Like a flash of lightening, he called me one morning to tell me he had come up with the story you see before you.  He wanted to tell the story of two young kids. He presented it to me.  We had coffee many mornings to discuss making this story a book...a book that he wanted me to translate into Spanish.  I was honored.
     A trip to another country sparked a flame to do good, to be creative and to share a message of kindness.  As a teacher, it is a reward to see my students take what they learn and be innovative.  When you read "After the Rain," you will enjoy the heart and soul that went into telling John and Sofia's story whether you speak English or Spanish.  Enjoy. Disfruta.