The front yard of my abuelos’ house was a jungle of wonders. The world was at our fingertips in our little plot of land. Catalina and I had daily tea parties on the porch surrounded by lush greenery. We were exhilarated when the heavy tropical rain came down. Like bullets, plump drops fell thumping on the aluminum roofing panels above us. Once we heard a few drops, we knew a million would follow. My heart raced; the rain electrified me. It felt like only our abuelos’ house existed in the whole wide world.

With the pouring orchestra in full swing, the earthy smell of fresh dirt was unleashed and festivities ensued. Frogs, worms, mosquitos, lizards, and ladybugs came out to play. We jumped for joy, getting soaked and playing with mud was heavenly. We were in as poor a neighborhood as we could be, but the universe was ours. After the rainfall, the sun came out and we laid on the grass looking up at the sky watching rainbows form and clouds pass.