- Feb 5, 2002
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Interview with Meme Alsina, a tetraplegic with a degree in library science.
Here’s Meme Alsina in numbers: 98 percent of her body is paralyzed, she is 36 years old, she has 7 siblings, 24 nieces and nephews, 1 sister who is a Carmelite, 1 brother who is a priest, 2 special devotions (Saint Jude Thaddeus and Saint Rita), and one passion: working with computers. This woman, amiable in speech and strong in spirit, received us into her house in Barcelona one Friday afternoon in late summer. If Aleteia weren’t there to interview her, she would be working on her computer, which is what interests her the most.
Mornings are for work: in her case, at the Balmes bookstore, where she is in charge of the website and online sales. The bookstore is unfortunately close to the location of the terrorist attacks last August 17, at Las Ramblas, Barcelona, which ended the lives of so many people. “I don’t understand what is going through the heads of the terrorists; they must be sick, because it’s impossible for there to be so much evil,” Meme Alsina says. Her full name is Mercedes; she’s named after Our Lady of Merced (“Mercy”), the patroness of Barcelona.
I like the verb “help”
“Help” is a verb that she uses a lot while we talk. “I like this verb: ‘help.'” She acknowledges that “letting yourself be helped is good for you, and for others. People sometimes come up to me and ask, ‘Can I help you?’ And I’m thrilled, because even if I don’t need help, it means they love you, so I let them take care of me.” Her 24 nieces and nephews range in age from 1 to 22 years old. She is one of 8 children. “I have seven siblings,” she explains. “Seven is a lucky number,” I answer, and she smiles and agrees: “Well yes, I’m very lucky to have my family and friends.”
Continued below.
This woman has found the secret to happiness, and it has nothing to do with having "a perfect life"
Here’s Meme Alsina in numbers: 98 percent of her body is paralyzed, she is 36 years old, she has 7 siblings, 24 nieces and nephews, 1 sister who is a Carmelite, 1 brother who is a priest, 2 special devotions (Saint Jude Thaddeus and Saint Rita), and one passion: working with computers. This woman, amiable in speech and strong in spirit, received us into her house in Barcelona one Friday afternoon in late summer. If Aleteia weren’t there to interview her, she would be working on her computer, which is what interests her the most.
Mornings are for work: in her case, at the Balmes bookstore, where she is in charge of the website and online sales. The bookstore is unfortunately close to the location of the terrorist attacks last August 17, at Las Ramblas, Barcelona, which ended the lives of so many people. “I don’t understand what is going through the heads of the terrorists; they must be sick, because it’s impossible for there to be so much evil,” Meme Alsina says. Her full name is Mercedes; she’s named after Our Lady of Merced (“Mercy”), the patroness of Barcelona.
I like the verb “help”
“Help” is a verb that she uses a lot while we talk. “I like this verb: ‘help.'” She acknowledges that “letting yourself be helped is good for you, and for others. People sometimes come up to me and ask, ‘Can I help you?’ And I’m thrilled, because even if I don’t need help, it means they love you, so I let them take care of me.” Her 24 nieces and nephews range in age from 1 to 22 years old. She is one of 8 children. “I have seven siblings,” she explains. “Seven is a lucky number,” I answer, and she smiles and agrees: “Well yes, I’m very lucky to have my family and friends.”
Continued below.
This woman has found the secret to happiness, and it has nothing to do with having "a perfect life"
