The Gardener, Mr. Charles Avila keynoted the book launch of Kat del Rosario Cruz’s I AM KENZO BRAVE last September 13, 2022.
Good morning, everyone especially the family of the author of the book and her many friends and so many people interested in this particular and very unique publication that we are launching today.
Thank you for inviting me, thank you for this great privilege, letting me in in some parts of the process. I have written quite a lot in my life, but this was quite an experience. In just a few meetings with her and I knew she was into a project that got me into a fearless forecast that years and decades from now, this book will still be there being read, meditated on by children of all ages because it is a toddler’s book for adults.
One takes time to appreciate not only the battle against cancer but the appreciation of life itself – so that the very title of the book is not only fantastic – it is divine. What do I mean by that?
What is the title of the book? – I am Kenzo Brave
What is the name of God?
Moses wanted to make sure he got it right, He asked Yahweh “What is your name? What will I tell those who will ask me when I tell them I was sent by you? Who are you? What are you?”
“You tell them I AM That I AM.”
And The author and the toddler knew that when you say Kenzo Brave you are asserting infinite being, limitless being. So that there is just no problem of any sort because it is already solved. So, we thank you Kat and for the inspiration for having written this book.
You know the imagination of kids is proverbial. They sometimes wonder as we saw how we have become adults even when we were younger in that famous book, “Little Prince” I am sure most of you have read wherein the Little Prince says about adults, “We have a little problem. They don’t care about things that really matter and they don’t know that what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
If somebody gets sick, we forget. What is essential is invisible to the eye. The power is there already. And the parents of Kenzo agreed with the toddler that the power is there. It is for scientists and doctors to figure out in mathematical formulae in chemical, physical formulations what it is about. But they don’t really know that the very essence of it is Life itself.
Look again at this book at the very beginning, Kenzo says “I was just me” – on the very first page. I was just me before he got sick and at the end what does he say, “I go back to being me”.
You know before children speak; they sing. You agree with me? Before they write, they paint. As soon as they get up, they dance. Art. Creation. Assertion of life. Essential to being. And, Kat and Naz, and the family know that these children, your children as the prophet said “Are not yours.”
But I have a little amendment to what Kahlil Gilbran said, and this is what I say today, “They are not yours, but they are you. Because are they notLife longing for itself?” That is why I made my fearless forecast. That this little book will be around. This little book is deceitful because it is so profound; so deep in its invitation for us to go within ourselves and in the end it invites us to realize that in the tapestry of life, we are all, all of us here and those not here, we are all connected.
Each one of us is a gift to those around us, helping each other be who we are weaving a perfect picture together and this is one such picture. Thank you very much Kat, Thank you very much Naz, thank you all. (30)