She was not among the girls who would attend the José Martí Pioneer Parade this morning. But they had to include her when they realized that, at barely five years old, she mastered, in detail, the dance steps, the hand movements, and everything necessary to accompany the march of the band from the Mártires del 28 de Diciembre School Center, at the very start of the event.

So there she was, restless, perhaps thinking about how much she would have liked to take her little dog Kitty, who was left at home; so that she could see her wearing her band's uniform with pride and, with the innocence of her five-year-old, barely understanding that there was an important party and having fun seemed to be the order of the day. 

Kahily heard the National Anthem in the José Martí, as well as the school choir shouting: “Peace is the secret desire of the hearts” and she concentrated hard to understand the sincere words that left the event open.

Then, always next to the chief baton twirler, she opened the parade. She walked enthusiastically down Vicente García Street, unfazed by the noise of the drums, the looks around her, the flashes of the journalists, and, surely, her innocent gaze did not manage to see so many posters, white flowers, and boys who, some from the seat of their bicycles, also proclaimed to the wind their respect for the good friend who wrote The Golden Age.

For her, it was, simply, a party. We know that it is part of a larger event that celebrates the 171st birth anniversary of the Apostle. An event that will continue tonight when the torches flood the streets of the eight municipalities of Las Tunas and the cheers return to remember the man who, since his time, delved into everything possible, and what is to come.