I have almost always liked to write, every March 23rd, I don’t know if it is because that day has a special connotation for me because it is my birthday; or because it is also the anniversary of the birth of a great Latin American writer, undoubtedly I am referring to Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda.

And today, as in previous years, I will also do it, and I will do it by remembering a cultural event or activity that back in the 90s of the last century, became a tradition led by the Provincial Center of Amateurs and Culture Houses, place I have already remembered other times, for being a school where I learned so much from true Masters.

I am referring to the Provincial Methodologists of that time, people of great renown such as José Angulo Cisneros, Juan Ruíz, Ramón Cancio, Dalia Aguilar, just to mention a few.

This activity or event, as stated in our annual plan, was led by the writer and always a dear friend of mine, Gertrudis Ortiz Carrero.

I’m talking about the “Letter of Love” contest, which was launched for people not only belonging to the Literary Workshops. They had to write a love letter that would be evaluated by a jury constituted for this purpose and that decided the winner.  The prize was delivered precisely on the day of the birthday of Tula, in homage to her.

Representatives from all the municipalities that had participated came. Before the award took place, a wreath was placed on the facade of the poet’s house, there on Avellaneda Street and words were pronounced in her honor.

After several years this cultural event disappeared for reasons that I do not know, being rescued by the Ignacio Agramonte Culture House in 2012 until last year, because according to its current Deputy Director of Programming, due to the pandemic it has been difficult to carry it out in these moments.

In each year of those experienced with the intensity of that day, it was difficult for me to celebrate my birthday with my family, but I did it with the clamour of those enthusiastic and bold people who sometimes without being certain at what time they would arrive at their homes, -because transportation was always our Achilles heel-; They were in charge of congratulating me and making me feel good in their company, even if I had to be immersed in the work of directing, so ungrateful at times.

That is why it is always a beautiful memory for me that noble and beautiful activity that we carried out with so much love and dedication, and I am sure that when this difficult situation comes to an end we will be able to enjoy it again.

So today, regardless of getting a little bit older, I am happy and grateful to have lived those and many other experiences and I say as someone, that I do not remember now who it was, but that it seemed excellent and with which I totally feel identified: “… What does a wrinkle matter, what does a gray hair matter, what matters is life and living it to the fullest … ´´

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García