Rosalia “Chalia”
Gonzalez Arenas

Rosalia—affectionately known as Chalia—had a way of making home feel like home simply by being there. Her presence was warm, inviting, and safe. She was protective and affectionate, and although she could be strict when she needed to be, it always came from a place of love and wanting the very best for us.

For Chalia, love was often something you could taste. She showed it by cooking our favorite meals, making sure no one had gone without eating, and, of course, baking her Bundt cakes. Feeding the people she loved was one of the many ways she cared for us. Even after everyone else was taken care of, she was still thinking about what someone might need next. She worried about everyone before she ever worried about herself.

She loved watching movies, but what was on the television never mattered nearly as much as who was sitting beside her. She was happiest when we were together. Those ordinary moments—sitting around the house, sharing a meal, watching television, laughing together—are now some of the moments we treasure most.

She worried about us constantly, especially our health. It didn't matter whether we actually felt cold—or whether it was even particularly cold outside—Mom was going to tell us to bundle up. It may have annoyed us then, but today it is one of those little things we would give anything to hear from her again.

What made her proud was not simply what her children accomplished, but who they became. She was proud of the way we carried ourselves and the people we grew into. She took great pride in knowing that the sacrifices she made gave her family opportunities and a life that might otherwise never have been possible, and she was deeply grateful for the life her family was able to build in the United States.

Rosalia—conocida con cariño como Chalia—tenía una manera especial de hacer que un hogar se sintiera verdaderamente como hogar con tan solo estar presente. Su presencia era cálida, acogedora y segura. Era protectora y cariñosa, y aunque podía ser estricta cuando era necesario, siempre nacía del amor y de querer lo mejor para nosotros.

Para Chalia, el amor muchas veces era algo que se podía saborear. Lo demostraba cocinando nuestras comidas favoritas, asegurándose de que nadie se quedara sin comer y, por supuesto, preparando sus pasteles Bundt. Alimentar a las personas que amaba era una de las tantas maneras en que nos cuidaba. Incluso después de haber atendido a todos, seguía pensando en lo que alguien más pudiera necesitar. Siempre se preocupaba por los demás antes que por ella misma.

Le encantaba ver películas, pero lo que estuviera en la televisión importaba mucho menos que las personas que estaban a su lado. Era más feliz cuando estábamos todos juntos. Esos momentos cotidianos—estar en casa, compartir una comida, ver televisión y reír juntos—son ahora algunos de los recuerdos que más atesoramos.

Siempre se preocupaba por nosotros, especialmente por nuestra salud. No importaba si teníamos frío o si afuera ni siquiera hacía tanto frío: Mamá nos iba a decir que nos abrigáramos. Tal vez antes nos fastidiaba un poco, pero hoy es una de esas pequeñas cosas que daríamos cualquier cosa por volver a escuchar.

Lo que la hacía sentir orgullosa no eran solamente los logros de sus hijos, sino las personas en las que nos convertimos. Se sentía orgullosa de nuestra manera de ser y de cómo nos desenvolvíamos por la vida. Le llenaba de orgullo saber que sus sacrificios le dieron a su familia oportunidades y una vida que quizá no habría sido posible de otra manera, y estaba profundamente agradecida por la vida que su familia pudo construir en los Estados Unidos.