I write about the supernatural, the unexpected and the phenomenal. My stories are inspired by the bilingual, multicultural world that shaped me. I'm the author of the Bodega Botanica Tales series, an adult coming-of age six-part novella series; I host a short story podcast by the same name. This newsletter is about my personal questions and insights to this unpredictable, complicated and magical world, one Spanish word at a time. I'd be honored and grateful if you signed up.
Do you honor your time?
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Volume 2; Issue 9; June 2026 Hola! Do you wish for more time? I do. This past month, I took time to celebrate a birthday and graduation, cheer at a dance recital, and even pay my respects at a funeral. Yet, I still hoped I could declutter my closet, accompany a friend to an event, and get more writing done, but I had, well, no time. This got me thinking. Does time demand our respect? Basic human needs, like sleeping, eating, and moving requires time. If we fail to take the time to do these things properly, we suffer. We become indifferent, probably because we're tired, stressed and sometimes sad. All of these feelings can prevent us from using our time the way we want. Although I'd like to think that all would be completed if I had a few extra hours in the day or even an 8-day week, the truth about time is complicated. Time doesn't wait for us to prioritize our goals or make sure we visit our loved ones. Time is fleeting, as if its only job is to keep going despite how we feel. So what then should we do with our assigned time? It's different for each one of us, but one thing that makes sense to me and which I discovered this month is this: Time requires us to honor it, because if we don't, we may miss all the things we wish we had time for. And with that, I hope you have time to read La Hora and Bodega News and if you don't, that's okay since I respect your time. Spanish Word Translation: "La Hora" translates to the "The Hour" When I was growing up, my family and friends honored la hora when going to work or school, but for social events, well, not so much. If you told someone to come to the party at 6pm and they arrived at 8pm, hardly anyone I knew would care. For the most part, being late was socially acceptable. Because of work schedules and finances, social events were rare in my family. But when they did occur, everyone relaxed about the time. Needless to say, when I got to college, I learned that being on time for social events was expected and if you were late, it was considered rude. It took me a while, but eventually I learned to be on time, since it showed them respect. But every once in a while, I imagine a world where I have plenty of time to get ready, to get there at my leisure and to stay as late as I want. But then the alarm bell rings and I see la hora. It's as if I wake up and remember my goals and responsibilities. Bodega News
Until next month... Stay tuned brujas! Other Magical Tales |
Bodega Botanica Tales Monthly Newsletter
I write about the supernatural, the unexpected and the phenomenal. My stories are inspired by the bilingual, multicultural world that shaped me. I'm the author of the Bodega Botanica Tales series, an adult coming-of age six-part novella series; I host a short story podcast by the same name. This newsletter is about my personal questions and insights to this unpredictable, complicated and magical world, one Spanish word at a time. I'd be honored and grateful if you signed up.
Volume 2; Issue 11, August 2026 Hola! Ever feel hopeless? I have. This past month, after completing my responsibilities, I still had set-backs in my health, my artistic projects and even my personal life. This got me thinking. What's left after hope fails? Hope is wanting something, and that something is an outcome that, in my opinion, is usually self-serving. Common examples include, "I hope it doesn't rain for my event," "I hope my team wins, and "I hope my loved-one gets better, because I...
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