A meaningful spring

Washington, the cherry blossoms… and the messages that walked with us

This post is also available in Spanish. Read it here

On Monday the 30th, Matías marked 31 months in heaven, and we decided to go to Washington to see the cherry blossoms. Because he loves spring, he loves flowers, he loves everything that is full of life.

That day, we entered a beautiful garden, one of those that embraces you without saying a word, and without planning it, I found myself in a small enclosed space, surrounded by water, with a fountain at the center.

And then something happened that still moves me: two ducks fell from the sky. They didn’t arrive walking, they weren’t there before. They came flying and landed right in that small body of water, so suddenly that they even startled me.

I stayed in silence, because there are moments that need no explanation. I couldn’t record them at the exact moment they landed, but I later took photos and videos. When I checked the first image, it showed 10:43 — the exact time Matías was born.

It started to rain, and right next to the garden there were two museums. We decided to go into the National Museum of African Art, and the first thing we saw were woven chairs with a zebra-like pattern. Once again, without planning it, we took out Matías’ books and took photos, as if he were there with us.

The next day, when we arrived at the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms, the first thing we saw were the same two ducks. There they were again. One with a green head and the other brown, always together, as if waiting for us.

And I understood that messages don’t always come in just one way. Sometimes they come in pairs, sometimes they repeat themselves, sometimes they follow you until you finally see them. In the ducks, in the chairs, in the animals, in every detail along the way.

We wanted to end the trip by visiting one of the major museums, and we ended up at the Museum of Natural History, surrounded by wild animals — Matías’ favorites.

And as if all of that wasn’t enough, that same day Nelda was at home and a small blue ball, which had been in the same place for years, rolled. For no reason, without anyone touching it. Blue, like the sky… and like my son’s favorite color.

Nelda immediately felt it was Matías. She sent me the photo and said, “Nubia, did you see the ball?” I told her yes, and asked, “Did you see the zebra?” She hadn’t noticed that the ball has tiny lines on the front that form the silhouette of a small zebra.

And I smiled… because it was no longer a coincidence. It was another synchronicity. It was presence.

To close it all, we returned home and arrived exactly at 10:08 — Matías’ time. A gentle confirmation, the kind that makes no noise but says everything: that we are still together, that he walks with us, and that love never breaks.

Matías, forever by our side… 💙