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Que Dios las bendiga.
Dedications like these are always my favourite 🥹🥰
Mari was a mentirosa and a major drama queen. She threatened to run away as often as I called my younger brother a pinche cabrón behind my parents’ backs.
Welita was always saying how family was the most important thing in this world. And we were doing this to stay together. She’ll understand. Eventually.
“It stands for Best Cousins Forever,” I explained. “But that’s silly,” Selena said. “Of course we’re going to be cousins forever. We’re related. Duh.”
The bond between cousins is unlike any other 😩🥹🫶🏽
How could I know at that moment that the lemon tree and the promise we’d just made would only survive a few more summers?
I couldn’t imagine ever getting up that early just to put makeup on. My family was lucky I remembered to brush my teeth before heading out the door.
REAL
“What mistletoe?”
NOPE SHUT UP I LOVE IT & I HATE IT TOO
And even though I knew she was sixty miles away, I could hear Welita’s voice in Spanish telling me one more time, “Be careful what you wish for.”
“Of course not,” he’d said with a laugh. “Besides, you’re not Latina Latina. You’re, I don’t know, a toned-down Latina. That’s different.”
as a POC myself, stuff like this really pisses me off. chucking racist people like this in the bin URGH
Welita had said that if she’d cried in front of her, then the woman would have known the power she’d had over her. She’d always told us that people who hurt us don’t deserve our tears.
Not because I wasn’t proud of my Mexican heritage. Sometimes I was just too tired to defend it. Even in the first grade, I learned it was much easier if you didn’t talk with an accent and didn’t bring egg burritos to school for lunch.
Then, in college, I suffered a whole new identity crisis. I was constantly scolded by strangers who would look at my brown skin and not understand why my Spanish was limited.
pov: being a POC that grew up in a western society, but said western society will always see them as an “other”
As a kid, I was ashamed about not being white enough. But as an adult, I was ashamed for not being Mexican enough. In fact, I was so not Mexican that a privileged white racist asshole felt comfortable enough to date me.
“But if it’s what you want, Marisol—if it’s what’s going to make you happy—then how can that be a waste?” His tone, soft and low, brought back the same butterflies from Christmas morning.
When will you learn that living with something you don’t love is not living at all?”
I sat in the cafeteria of St. Christopher’s Academy desperately wishing I could die. Dear God, I take that back. Of course I don’t want to die. But could there be a small earthquake or a random fire drill at least? Amen.
Gracie is my favourite so far! 😂😭😩
“It sounds to me like you’re looking for some purpose in your life, right? So go find it.”
“Hold up. That was a solid pass. If you missed it, then that’s on you. Maybe your pretentious wannabe-hipster beard is starting to impair your depth perception?
DEAD 😂😭😭
“Here’s your chance. He’s walking over here right now.” My body froze as my mind played out different scenarios in my head. Should I turn to face him? Should I wait for him to come up to me? What would I say?
SISTER PATRICIA OMG 😂😂
We’re friends, right? And friends don’t let their friends hang outside bars by themselves. However, I feel like I need to warn you that if you start throwing up, I’m outa here.”
Nathan was waiting for me, holding a sign that read, “Sexy lady from Los Angeles.”
“What were you going to do if I wasn’t the only sexy lady from Los Angeles arriving tonight?” “Oh, you weren’t. Two other women came up to me before you did. Let’s just say it’s been an awkward night.”
NAH DEAD 😂😭 I can imagine the awkwardness HAHAHAH
A gift is a gift, and you should always be grateful for anything someone gives you out of love. The day you tell someone what to give you is the day you no longer get gifts out of love, but rather obligation. Well, for me, I’d rather have the love.”
There is a man out there who’s going to want you because of all that. But Selena is right. You’re not going to find him without at least looking a little.”
And that was probably another reason why I loved baking. Correcting your mistakes was as simple as starting a new batch. Too bad other things couldn’t be as easily fixed.
But that is the way life is. If God wants it to be, then it will be.”
My great-grandfather used to tell her that he recognized her that first day from his dreams.
“Come over here.” Adrian grabbed a nearby toss pillow and put it on his lap. “Why?” “Because I’m going to rub your temples. It will help, I swear.”
“Erica. Stop talking and get over here.”
THE WAY I WOULD FOLD AAAAAHHH
“Family is the most important thing in this world. Sometimes, though, you don’t realize it until you don’t have it anymore.”
I just think that sometimes holding on to only the bad things that happened to us leaves us too tired to enjoy the good.”
Death sucked. And as you got older, the more it seemed that death came to take away those you loved.
Sometimes, you find the strength to do what scares you most if you believe your life will be better because of it.”
Holding on to the past doesn’t always help you in the future.” A realization struck me so hard that I gasped.
Dear God, I don’t know what is about to happen, but I put it in your hands. I trust that whatever happens will be part of your plan, and I just ask that you give me the strength and patience to get through this meeting without crying or calling someone a poopy head. Amen.
“Girls, girls.” I heard my mother’s voice. “People are starting to stare. What chillonas.” We both started laughing and wiped away our tears. I sighed, and for the first time in weeks, I felt light.
🥹😂😭
I realized then that Welita’s legacy wasn’t the recipes she had left behind on those yellowed and frayed index cards. It was all of us. It was family.
“But what I want you to remember is that wherever you live, you always need to find a way to stay close with your cousins. Friends will come and go. But your family, tu familia, is forever.”
“You love me too?” He nodded and leaned in. “Yes, you ridiculous woman. I love you so fucking much.”
“All I want is you, Erica,” he whispered. Then he grinned. “Well, you and maybe some of your family’s tamales.”
I knew now that we could get through anything as long as we always remembered what she’d taught us—family is the most important thing in the world.
“Que Dios te bendiga.”
🥹🥰❤️
Dear God, I’m very sorry for . . . well, for everything that I’m going to say and think until this baby is out of me. Amen.
STOP IT 😂😂😭
