Abuela Certified

This right here meant a lot to me.

Not only is she one of the two grandmothers I'm blessed to still have alive and breathing... she's been my best friend for the past three years.

In 2020, I decided to move to Miami to be closer to my son. Being the man that I am, I jumped at the opportunity even though it was far from solid. I took a chance. One I'll never regret.

I lived there for close to two years. But after a while, it got expensive... and I was real close to jumping on the nine five and heading back to New York to rebuild, find some stability, and figure things out again.

But being further from my son didn't sit right with me. And truthfully... nothing in me wanted to go back to the city.

I was over it. The crowds. The noise. The cold. And being tied to too much that didn't align with the man I was trying to become.

So I reached out to my grandmother in Central Florida. We were never that close, so I was hesitant.

I called. Then I visited.

A week later... I came back. And I've been here ever since.

At first, I thought I was staying to help her. Which I was.

But along the way... I realized she was helping me just as much.

Over the past year, she's watched me sit at my desk late at night, working through this book. Struggling with it. Figuring it out. Going through everything that comes with trying to bring something like this to life for the first time.

She didn't fully understand what I was doing most of the time... but she supported it anyway.

And when it was finally done... she was just as excited to get her copy as I was to get mine.

That feeling? Priceless.

She turns 91 in October. She deals with her health... but she's still full of life, joy, and faith.

I call her La Jefa.

We laugh together. We ignore each other. We lean on each other. We learn from each other.

I take her shopping. I cook for her most days.

Sometimes she tries to cook for herself... but after almost burning the house down a few times, I had to step in.

This moment meant a lot. More than I expected.

I pray she gets to read the next book I decide to publish.

And more than anything... I hope she continues to live, love, and be a light in her own way in this world.

Peace and love.