Ideas = inspiration for life...
- Kelly K
- Feb 10, 2017
- 5 min read
Ideas are the inspiration for life. They become dreams and the purpose of life. I would say and probably many that have achieved their dreams or goals that 80-85% of the time dreams and goals don't come in easy open bags. You have to work your a*#* off to achieve them. Sometimes you will achieve them quickly and sometimes it will take longer to get there. If takes longer as in our case, after struggling you realize that all the experiences you were living were preparing you to achieve your dreams, to give you knowledge and make you stronger in the process.
About 10-12 years ago when the vision boards started booming, I read about them and thought it was a neat idea and quickly started making mine. Instead I made a scrapbook with pictures, quotes of everything I wanted to achieve in life. In it there is a picture of a restaurant, a place were people would come and eat something prepared with love, fresh ingredients from our own garden and other local farmers. These pictures were on the last pages of the book, I was determine to start doing something else before the restaurant. I tried and tried and tried and I was not able to achieve it at that time, in exchange I learned a lot about different things....
As you know when you have little kids there is always a lot going on, so...time passed we got caught up being a parent, trying to support our family, being a husband a wife, a mother, a dad.
At the time my husband was working at a factory and I was a teacher, neither jobs were fulfilling for us, so we went and started working on our own. They were difficult times but at least more enjoyable.
One day my husband came on to me and said "you know what, I am going to build this" and he showed me a picture of a trailer with a brick oven. I mean it looked great... He had no experience what so ever, I helped him as I could. He is a man that when he puts his mind to something it doesn't matter how long it takes him he will do it, I admire him for that.On the other hand I was trying to get going with the things I wanted to accomplish my intention at the time was to sell herbal infused honeys that I made and people loved, but to try to do something without capital it is a hard task to accomplish. We managed to start getting some materials for the oven and slowly he started with the process. Each of us were going in different directions and he told me one night that maybe if we got our energies together we would be able to advance a little more... lets row the boat together in the same direction. It has taken a lot of practice, patience, love but we were moving along better.
He took a class with Joanny Lozada from La Hogaza on how to make bread, he had no money to pay so he went as her helper. He learned to make a very tasty bread but it was too labor intensive and a lot of equipment was needed. From bread we went to make pizza dough, tried one and we decided that pizza was going to be it.With no experience at all we were a whole year looking for the right dough recipe. While preparing pizzas for lunch I decided to drizzle some of the honey infusion I had on the crust with sesame and flax seeds. When I gave my husband a try he said he loved it, gave it to other family members and it was a hit. From that day on Di Leña's sesame crust with infused honey was born. So as you can see dreams are actually on folding before our eyes... With my husband's idea and my honey infusions and creative touch something beautiful was blooming :)
We had to give up so many things we worked hard for, to accomplish this. Many things happened along the way during that year... We even lost our third child Allan in the process... it was a tough year.... but we kept on going stronger..
Finally my husband finishes the oven after a whole year in January 9,2014 (his birthday). We find a place next to the road in Aibonito and we were ready to start. First day of business came, first time to move and drive the trailer, it was nerve wracking. I remember we made 25 pizzas.. I tell you from making 1-2 pizzas for lunch to making 25 in a row with no experience, OMG. My husband learning how to cook them in the oven, family helping out in front of the house it was an intense but gratifying first day of work. People gave us a great feedback, it was a good start. Since that day in 2014 until today we keep on learning and perfecting the art of making wood fired pizza.
After a year in Aibonito we moved to the beautiful town of Rincon and we truly love it here. People are nice and have made us feel at home. Now in 2017 we are at a new location a little further down 115 st at Raisa Pharmacy. The owner has given us the opportunity and we feel blessed and so grateful. The new spot is a great place to make a small version of what we want. I know we will get there step by step.
Having our kids being part of the business is also a blessing, they are gaining so much knowledge and experiences that will help them out in life.
As you can see sometimes dreams don't start were you think they will. I thought everything was going to be the other way around, now I understand and have a clearer vision of why everything happened the way it did. Now we all have talked and even our kids dreams can become part of the big picture when time comes at this moment they are preparing for it.
If you read this and also have dreams or goals you want to achieve, we can tell you to never give up always go forward no matter what others say or think, one step at a time, it doesn't matter how long it takes you, it is never too late. Believe in yourself.Go for IT!
I also want to take this opportunity to thank all that have helped us along the way and thanks to our clients, our extended family for your continuous support.
To be continued.....
Di Leña Family
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