It’s true. People who haven’t caught it yet, are baffled by the phenomenon. They look at me and once again, the conversation takes this turn....

"You know, just looking at you, you don’t look Hispanic, and you have no trace of a Spanish accent at all!"

"That would be because I am not Hispanic."

"Oh, so it is your HUSBAND who is hispanic."

"No, he isn't either".

"So, you are just fluent in Spanish, then, cool."

"Uh, well, (this is the hard part) no, I really don’t understand all of it, or parts of it,...uh, well, most of it."

"So, why do you like this Luis Miguel person so much, if you can’t even understand what he is saying?"

"You see, with him, IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER! Because you really CAN understand what he is saying, somehow."

What happens in someone’s life that is strong enough to change the actual course of their everyday existence?

WELCOME TO MY WORLD

Picture me, if you can, a lady in my 40’s. Married for years, with my only child nearly grown, and me, past my prime. Life had settled into a comfortable routine. This would probably be our last "family" vacation, so it should be something special. We chose to go to Cancun. It was pretty incredible, and I knew that someday, I would want to go back to somewhere in Mexico. So, wouldn’t it be fun to learn Spanish? I went right out and bought one of those "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Spanish, but Were Afraid To Ask" books. That should do it!

Then one night my husband comes into the room, "Sandy, I just heard that they are going to have some Latin American singer on pay per view". (The year is 1995, the special - El Concierto) I acknowledge this with a nod, thinking in my best intellectual manner "this will be a good learning experience for me". I call the cable company and prepare a paper and pencils to make notes. Oh... might as well tape it, in case there is something I want to refer back to.

THE CONVERSION

The show starts... the smoke, the lights, how interesting. He rises out of a pit in the floor. One darn good looking man! The music starts, and he begins to do what he does best. My ears, for the first time ever, hear the tones from that voice.

Note by note, he weaves the spell. Incredulously, I am drawn into his world, willingly following his direction. The pencil falls from my hand, the paper soon follows it to the floor. My mind is whipped into total focus, all on this one thought, "AAAAHHHHH!!!" I can’t move, I feel like I am being hypnotized, paralyzed, mesmerized. My husband’s voice is trailing off ...somewhere... "Sandy, are you OK? Do you want some water, are you ill, ...can you close your mouth?!!!" The show closes. I look at the clock. In only seconds, nearly 2 hours have gone by. I have heard of this kind of thing in alien abductions. Could I have been abducted? My husband assures me, "You were right here the whole time, but, you did kind of scare me. You reminded me of one of those deer that suddenly appears in your car’s headlights, and then stands, transfixed, waiting for you to hit him".

"Oh, you are SO funny", I laugh. "That was really an EDUCATIONAL experience. Now, let me see that ..uh ...REFERENCE tape again!"....I rewatch the tape. I don’t know one word he is saying.... and yet, I look into his eyes and see the passion in them. I hear the pain in his voice as he points his hand out in agony and sings "Tu la misma de ayer, la incondicional". I don’t know what he is saying, but, oddly....I do! The intensity of his emotions, somehow is coming through the language barrier! I have never heard this song in my life, nor recognize any of the Spanish words, but I can feel the emotion he is conveying to me! I look into those incredible eyes as his mouth forms the words with the skill of a master sculptor, and each word, a work of art. I watch as tremendous beads of sweat form on his brow. (When did sweat become so sexy?!!!!) How can it be possible that I recognize something in him, something in all of us, a place without language, where our true emotions live? A place where we see and understand everything we feel. Where words, no longer necessary, don’t exist, and the language barrier is removed.

TORTURE/ECSTACY

This is the beginning of understanding. To know that not everything can be expressed in mere words, and to find that other way. It is the mark of the truly great singer, the line that separates the beautiful singers from the divine! Not just someone you hear, and think, "Wow, that was really good!" But here is a man, who can open his mouth, and with one note, create instant torture/ecstasy. Not just a pretty face, not, even, just a magnificent voice, but all of these, and more. Something profound, from the very soul of this man, is projected with every word and movement he makes, drawing you to him, and making you a "believer". When you watch him sing, he transports you deep into the core of his emotions, where he skillfully releases all of his passion and energy into you, electrifying you with his "aura".

The energy that he transfers to us, make us his, for life. Does he feel the loss as we engorge on his intensity? When the curtain is drawn, does he feel the shockwaves severing our lives from his? I hope not, because I do, and it is terrible.

Written By/Por Sandra/Sandy December 9, 1997
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