Isolation and neglect characterized Bernardo Briceño’s early recollections. He remembered clearly how his tiny body shook in the gloomy light as he crawled out of a creaking cot in a cold, echoing orphanage as a toddler. The atmosphere was one of fear and hunger, broken by the distant sounds of irate voices debating him. In a society where a child ought to be surrounded by love and care, Bernardo’s life was marked by strict discipline and apathy.

The times when the strict nuns would eject him from the one area of the orphanage where gentle music and laughter wafted in from another room were almost invisible to him. The harsh cries of a woman would reach his ears: “Enough of this, we have to get rid of that brat!” He learned early on that he was unwanted from this agonizing sound that reverberated in his frail heart.

Young Bernardo had no idea that these traumatic events would not only influence his early years but also develop the fortitude that would see him through decades of desertion. In the end, this fortitude would bring him back to a reunion that would contradict all of his convictions regarding forgiveness, love, and family.

Routine and loneliness characterized Bernardo’s time in the orphanage. The ancient and dilapidated structure was burdened with numerous unsaid sorrows. His everyday environment consisted of dimly lit hallways that smelled strongly of disinfectant. The atmosphere was harsh, even though the nuns were occasionally kind. He soon discovered that in an environment where survival was the only expectation, affection was a rare luxury.

A bell rang each morning, marking the beginning of a day that provided little solace. With little consideration for each person’s hunger or preference, meals were served at set times. Even the tiniest treat was a brief moment of happiness in an otherwise dreary life, and the food was cold. Nevertheless, despite these everyday hardships, Bernardo held onto shards of hope—the hope that one day things would be better and that he would be viewed as someone who deserves love rather than as a burden.