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.
Has Hope Failed You?
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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 love them". And before you challenge me and ask, "What's so wrong about that?", let me explain. Hope is sometimes disguised as something everyone would benefit from, but the truth is more nuanced. If we don't obtain the outcome we want, it becomes failure, sadness or even death. We are disappointed by hope because we tend to treat it more like a demand, instead of a request. But outcomes, whether good or bad, are usually the beginning of something else, a change. The laws of physics tell us that if you jump out of a building, you will fall, and so hope has no hope when it comes to gravity. This may be true for many of our desires; maybe our hope is limited. Some believe that hope comes in the form of prayers or manifestations, which grants people their expected outcomes. I can't fault anyone for trying and I have, myself, prayed and manifested from time to time. But what I've learned throughout my life and especially this past month is that accepting the outcome is what's left after hope fails us. That may feel like surrender and you may not be willing to follow this approach in certain situations. I applaud those efforts. But for me, accepting what I cannot change drives me to move towards a different course of action, primarily so I can meet Hope again. And with that, I hope you read my poem, Hope Resides In Sunsets, on Instagram. I hope you read Bodega News (below) and the Spanish word, llorar, because crying is what many of us do when Hope fails us. Spanish Word Translation: llorar translates to cryWhen I was growing up, crying was not considered a big deal, so I was never afraid to cry. As a matter of fact, feelings in general were hardly hidden. If someone had beef with you, it was usually out in the open. But if they loved you, you felt it. In other words, you knew where you stood with others and it wasn't much of a secret. Fast forward, when I got to college, some informed me that crying was considered inappropriate, and so I had to learn to hide my feelings. This was a big cultural shift for me and one that took me many years to understand. But every once in while, I wish I could tell off the person that was rude to me, shout at the family member who hurt my feelings and push back on the person that insulted me, but I hold myself back because, after all, none of them are worth my tears. Bodega News
Until next month... Stay tuned Brujas! |
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 10, July 2026 Hola! Have you ever been scared by the actions of people? I have. This past month, a stranger called me an offensive name because I drove slowly, a neighbor honked at me during my leisurely walk, a friend became angry when I asked a question, and a family member used the word "demonic" to describe my actions (the latter confirms mutual fear). In our 24-7 media driven world, you can experience people shouting their grievances and worries while arguing and debating...
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...
Volume 2; Issue 8, May 2026 Hola! Can you keep up with all the change? I can't. This past month, I dedicated hours to learning software, only to discover a better version existed and no longer relevant to my project. My health shifted just as I was feeling stronger. And the weather unexpectedly turned cold just as I was getting used to the warmer days. And even positive change, like getting new opportunities, felt impossible to maintain. This got me thinking. Why is change so hard? Change by...