Arroyo, Cristina (Week 5 Carmen Lomas Garza)

 

This image by Carmen Lomas Garza, called Sandia/Watermelon on page 50, was one of the images that caught my attention the most because it reminds me of my childhood. Lomas Garza made it a point to emphasize the familial dynamic in this image as they share an evening and some watermelon together. She highlights the fact that the heart of the watermelon is the sweetest and best part, and how parents often refer to their children as “un pedazo de su corazón”, the best part. I have vivid memories of a similar practice in my own family. On cooler summer evenings my family and neighbors would often gather outside to talk and spend time together. As we spent these evenings together we often shared fruit, watermelon amongst the most frequent because it is in season at the time. In the image, I can almost feel the cool breeze after a hot afternoon, the buzzing of the mosquitos, and it’s almost as if I can hear the laughter of the conversations. The image of the older woman, perhaps a grandmother, and an older gentleman, possibly the grandfather, surrounded by their grandchildren and family also reminds me of my childhood with my grandparents. The simplicity of sharing some time and food is one of the most important aspects of my life with my loved ones and this image highlights that perfectly. These memories of spending time together, sharing sweet fruit, on an afternoon after some of the hottest days are the ones that make me smile, years later. I love spending time with my family and loved ones and to see an image that closely resembles those memories is heartwarming. It also reiterates this theme of family togetherness, and how it is shared amongst different cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life.