Before the Silence: the Echoes of Happiness

By Zarek Nómada

This is the raw and poignant memoir of a life marked from its beginnings by the unexpected. Raised in an environment of apparent prosperity, yet with a notable emotional distance, the narrator develops a sharp wit from a very young age to make his own way. His childhood takes a dramatic turn following a family crisis and a move to a large metropolis. There, the revelation of a devastating family secret impels him, at only twelve years old, to a precocious independence, leading him to leave home in search of his own destiny.

His search leads him to Minerva's peculiar apartment, a female universe as complex as it is clandestine, where, while earning a living with various street jobs, he begins to unveil the true nature of his landlady's business. It is in this unsuspected environment that he meets Gloria, Minerva's young partner, who would become the transformative love and anchor of his life. The relationship they forge, born from an atypical dynamic and lived with an honesty that defies all conventionalism, becomes a profound connection that transcends ages and circumstances. Gloria becomes his guide in life and intimacy, revealing to him a world of love, mutual respect, and shared satisfaction.

Driven by a longing for freedom and adventure, they leave everything behind to travel the country as backpackers, financing their journey with the narrator's inexhaustible ingenuity. This stage not only strengthens their bond but also takes them from the beaches of Vallarta - where they maturely explore the evolution of their relationship - to the most diverse corners of the nation. Finally, they settle in Mexico City; there, now more mature, the narrator, always with Gloria, undertakes formal businesses that bring them solid prosperity.

This bonanza allows them to build their longed-for home and welcome their three children: Rodrigo, the awaited Vela, and little Tom s. Their family life is filled with love, international travel, and daring ventures, some of them dangerously navigating the thin line of legality, which leads them to face serious threats. Despite the challenges, such as a delicate family health crisis that they overcome united, they achieve remarkable stability and the freedom to work from any corner of the world.

This period of intense happiness and family building represents life "Before the Silence." The narrative reaches its most painful climax during a trip that promised to be idyllic when a fateful event suddenly plunges the narrator into "the Silence" an awakening to the most absolute solitude and the beginning of a long and heartbreaking "wandering." The book culminates with the narrator's profound reflection on the years that have passed since that event that changed everything, his incessant search for meaning, and the persistence of the "echoes of happiness" through memories - especially symbolized by the aroma of spaghetti bolognese - as he continues to search for "that lost ingredient, that final touch that will restore not what was, but the ability to be again."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F8LMQ58K
• ISBN13: 9798283601151
• Release Date: May 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"