In the last 30 years, I haven’t celebrated a birthday with my family. I moved to the U.S. soon after college and have missed countless family holidays and special occasions. For my 50th birthday, I decided it was finally time to visit. My son was allowed to miss a week of school so he could join us. It had been seven years since he’d last seen the family. He’s 16 now, and once he heads to college, opportunities like this will be even rarer.
We had a wonderful time during the first part of the visit. Watching my son interact with my family for the first time in years was truly special. On our last visit, he was younger and much less engaged, so this felt like a meaningful change.
On my birthday, we had planned a night of dinner and dancing but the weather had other plans. A tropical storm hit, and the governor enacted a “dry law,” which I hadn’t heard of before. This law prohibits businesses from selling alcohol for 24 hours during a hurricane warning, and most close as early as 4 p.m.
To wait out the storm, we ordered pizza and grabbed a six-pack from the liquor store before it closed. The next morning, we realized the storm had largely missed the island, so we headed to my brother’s house for dinner and cake.
Despite the change in plans, my birthday turned out to be even better than I had imagined. The happiest gift I could have received was seeing my son experience a traditional Latino celebration. For those who haven’t experienced one, these celebrations are full of food, music, laughter, and plenty of spirited fun—truly a joyful, unforgettable way to celebrate life.
