(See this Post on Instagram)
July 2022
🏠❤️ Bars on windows is not “Instagram worthy” but homeownership is not guaranteed or even an option in many parts of the world. I spent my childhood in some of those places and my parents sacrificed everything for the American dream. I remember spending summers in their home country, surrounded by family. We were usually dozens crammed into small dwellings without central air. We had to sleep on the roof when it was too hot inside, and yes I fell off once. There was no indoor plumbing when this picture was taken, and if you look closely in the background is the beginning construction of the very first indoor bathroom in the family (also one of my cousins is barefoot, which was common too). Yeah I got used to using the outhouse and walking outside just to wash my hands. I’ll never forget the feeling of being grateful for tissue paper at the age of 8, even at times feeling like it was wasteful to use it on myself. So it’s no surprise that I felt like owning a home was beyong my grasp. I look at these old pictures, where we all wore handed-down chanclas and old t-shirts shipped in from the US, and remember how far I’ve come. Don’t compare yourself to the curated homes and “instagrammable” content, I remind myself. Just remember how far you’ve come. I guarantee the little girl in the picture would be in awe. The simple fact that I own this is just, wow. So forget the bars on the windows and the half-painted siding and appreciate that it protects and houses me. 🥰
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