Major inflection points in my life:
Sibling relationships can be as tricky as they come.
Growing up, my brother and I were like mismatched socks—never quite fitting together. With a ten-year age gap and having grown up in different countries, our bond felt more like a long-distance call than an in-person chat.
For the longest time, I felt like he just saw me as the spoiled little brat who had it easy.
💭 A Moment I’ll Never Forget
Around 1999, I got my big brother a job on the stock crew at the grocery store where I’d just been hired. For about six months, we worked side by side.
One day, in the middle of cereal boxes and canned goods, he looked at me and said in Spanish, “Cabron. Sí que trabajas bien duro. Pero bien duro.”
Which roughly translates to, “Hey, asshole. You really do work hard. Really hard.”
It wasn’t exactly Hallmark material, but it meant everything to me.
For the first time, I felt seen—as someone worthy of respect, not just his punk-ass little brother.
🥺 Shadows and Realizations
He saw me for the first time, and in his own crude way, he gave me a kind of affirmation.
This Dia de los Muertos, that memory keeps replaying in my mind.
Over. And. Over.
Those six months working together allowed us to see each other differently, from a new perspective.
🌳 Finding Family in Unexpected Places
Family can be messy, complicated, and full of mismatched socks.
But maybe that’s okay.
Sometimes, even socks that don’t match have a way of keeping your feet warm.
