Language

I’ve been trying to learn Spanish since I was in high school. Although they call me Doctor today, I was more of a moron in high school. I managed to fail Spanish in Senorita Strong’s class. Actually, I think it said a lot more about me than her. She was a nice lady and I wasn’t such a nice student. Heck, I could hardly speak English, how in the world did she possibly expect me to speak Spanish? And yet, like most teachers, she had pretty high expectations.

And we were from other generations. She liked Spanish and learning. And I liked teenage girls and cutting classes. So we weren’t great friends. We didn’t ‘connect’.

Later in life, I made some great Latino friends and decided I needed to learn Spanish for real. So I tried Berlitz and failed. Later I tried Rosetta Stone. Epic fail. I even studied at a Spanish language school in Costa Rica one summer.

Frankly, I think Dr. Strickland is a highly overrated title. For all my effort, I can’t speak Spanish. Not really. Oh, I can ask for Tacos, and say thank you and stuff like that. But don’t ask me where a hospital is or how to get a piece of meat unstuck in your throat…you’ll most probably die.

Actually, I love Spanish. And I love people of Spanish descent: Cubans, Costa Ricans, Spaniards, Mexicans. I think I have a Latin heart, I’m convinced of it. I just can’t speak Spanish. It seems as if they have a language all their own.

Have you ever known church people like that? They seem to have a language all their own? They don’t speak, they share? They don’t gossip, they just share prayer requests. They don’t give good solid advice, they just quote scripture (not that there is anything wrong with that…they just use words we sometimes don’t understand).

I don’t know about you, I’m just looking for some folk that speak my language, that are willing to talk to me without judging me, and who seem to take an interest in me for no apparent reason.

I call these people hopeful people. Or people of Hope. If you want to meet some of these people, I know where they are. If you're lookin', there's always hope.