109 - Ancestors at My Back

113 - The Art of Not Knowing

My mom and I sit down to discuss her experience as a practitioner of Zen. She describes her journey as a spiritual seeker, how Zen has impacted her life, and the community of people, her sangha, which has shaped her. She reflects on the words of her teacher, Robert Kennedy Roshi, who also installed her as a teacher of Zen. We think together about the hard work of "not knowing," which is the heart of Zen.

112 - En las buenas y en las malas

My mom and I are joined by her lifelong friend, Mari, to discuss the meaning of friendship. I learn about some of my mom's earliest friends, the formative years making friends during her early career, and about some memorable parties! Mari shares some deep connections between her own life and my mom's.

111 - Food in Your Pocket

My mom and I sit down with my dad, Lucas, to discuss food and what it means to us. My dad shares his background, growing up in Guayaquil, and stories about the food his mother made. My mom describes food of the border in South Texas. We talk about the meaning of food, its connection to relationships, and the things that were passed down.

110 - I'll Love You Forever

My brother Ismael joins my mom and me to discuss motherhood. We talk about what it was like for her to become a mom, how she remembers our childhood, and the experience of getting to know her children as adults.

109 - Ancestors at My Back

My mom and I talk at length about her grandparents, my great-grandparents, both on her father Ismael's side and on her mother Paula's side. I learn a lot about her aunts and uncles, her cousins, and our family's history of faith, fidelity, and hard work. We discuss naming, language, and ancestry.