Today, on NPR (National Public Radio), I heard a story about a woman who programmed an artificial intelligence chat bot with the diaries she wrote when she was younger. It led me to wonder what a younger version of myself could teach me or would think about me.
When I was younger, I never wanted to be a sellout. I wonder if I am true to the kid who wanted to be original.
As I have aged, I have struggled to find my place in the world. I identify as a Latino. I identify as a Salvadoran. I identify as a Houstonian.
I am stuck between two different parts of my identity. I feel Latino, but others have told me I am not Latino because I have green eyes and have a fair complexion. I identify as Salvadoran, but I was born in the United States. I identify as a Houstonian, but I am the son of Salvadoran refugees.
The magic of childhood gets eroded by the experience of growing up.