La First Gen Podcast

My therapist suggested journaling, so here I go. To be clear – she did not say this needed to be publicly shared, but I decided to anyway. Why? I don’t really know to be honest. I probably need more therapy to figure that one out. 

All I know is that I have a desire to share my own stories but always have been. As a teenager I used to really enjoy doing creative writing assignments. Looking back, it really was a creative outlet for me. Often, I would write about my dreams, and not the type we refer to as goals. I would literally write out the dreams that I had the night prior. They were always so vivid and with extensive plots. I would share my dream with anyone who would listen. 

But My dreams were not the only source of my story telling. I would also draw inspiration from my own experiences and the books I would read. Out of excitement in finishing a book, I would rush to share what I had read with the first person I could. 

On the weekends that my brother and I would go with my Dad, I would have all my stories ready to share. I couldn’t wait to catch him up with stories of what I did that week, what I had learned, and the books I had read. 

“Aver de que se trata ese libro? Aver cuentame la historia,” my dad would say. 

And so I would retell the plot of books I read as a story, knowing I had his full and undivided attention for however long my story was. 

One of these books was Life of Pi by Yann Martel. A book that I had read as a school assignment and had really enjoyed. 

I would share what I had read of Life of Pi during the many car rides back and forth from where my brother and I were living with mom to where Dad lived. To the point that my Dad and brother were so invested in my storytelling that I was rushing to finish the book to provide them an ending.

In 2012 Life of Pi was adapted into a film, almost three years after I had read the book. I remember being so excited to see the film adaptation of a novel that had been unlike anything I had ever read. The film, in my humble opinion, did not disappoint. 

After the movie ended, My Dad made a comment that made me laugh.

“Como que esta película ya la vi.” he said, confused as to why the plot was so familiar to him. 

I rolled my eyes and reminded him that I read the book and had told him all about it a couple years back.

“O si!? Con razon,” My Dad laughed.