Cheeks

To my mother, to whom Lorenzo owes his big cheeks.
A mi madre, a quien Lorenzo le debe sus grandes cachetes.

My little brother, Lorenzo, has big cheeks.
His cheeks are so big everybody wants a piece of them.
I don’t know what all the fuss is about. They’re just cheeks!
Mom says that when I was little like him I didn’t have cheeks that big.
She said that none of my other brothers had cheeks that big.
My mama goes nuts over Lorenzo’s cheeks.
My papa won’t let him be.
Sometimes I think they will drive little Lorenzo nuts because they are all over his cheeks.
Even my other brothers won’t leave him alone.
Poor Lorenzo. The only one to advocate for him is me, big brother.
After all, what are big brothers there for?

--Mama, would you please leave Lorenzo alone! He doesn’t like that.

--Why do you think he doesn’t like it? He seems to be enjoying it a whole lot. Look at him!

--Mama, he’s just a baby! That bothers him!

--Look at him!

--Don’t worry, Lorenzo. Even if everybody pesters you over your big cheeks, I won’t join them. Not me little brother. I’m on your side.

One day Lorenzo, who just started walking, came over to the family room where I was watching cartoons. He put his head next to mine, put his arms around my neck and pressed his cheek against mine. He was laughing. I… well… I didn’t do anything.

Pensamientos nada originales acerca de la naturaleza del poder

La naturaleza del poder es tal que éste no hace poderoso al que lo tiene sino que le exige una responsabilidad moral igual, o tal vez mayor, a la medida del poder que se tiene.

La concepción moderna del poder es sobre todo utilitaria, esto es, responde a los intereses particulares del que lo ejerce, sea este un individuo o una nación.

Los hombres de hoy, en palabras llanas, ven en el poder un instrumento y no tanto una responsabilidad moral. Se olvidan de que éste es ambos y si se ha de errar en favor de uno por sobre el otro es mejor errar en favor de la responsabilidad moral que se debe a sí mismo y a los que han delegado ese poder en primera instancia. El absolutismo se encuentra a una corta distancia del otro extremo.