I fantasize about being a Nepo Baby way more than I’d like to admit. This includes a life without grind and grit, no real issues (other than maybe a stint or two in a local rehabilitation centre), access to infinite financial resources, the absence of intrusive thoughts about being broke, and guaranteed connections in any industry I choose to lay my soft delicate hands on… ummm sign me up!
Let's take a moment to admire just what the hustle and bustle has taught me. The positive things that I learned in my corporate job. The ability to stretch 15 dollars into a week's worth of groceries. The fact that you can use Windex to clean literally everything! Knowing how to spot a good sale. Creating memorable experiences by using only my personality. Experiencing a variety of cultures because I lived in a diverse neighbourhood aka community housing.
There are people who shutter at the idea of leftovers. I wonder what they’d think of me if I told them that I eat the same thing Monday through Friday because I’m a single woman who lives alone and does not wish to waste a morsel of food. Imagine cooking an entire pot of chili just to eat one bowlful and chuck the rest in the trash!*
Back to being a Nepo Baby. The real question is, “would I be the same person?” And to this question, there are two answers:
Yes, on the outside. I’d likely still have a similar style, similar likes and interests, gravitate towards the same types of people, and excessively laugh at silly fart jokes.
No, at my core I would lack depth, ground level experience, and most of all; FLAVOUR. Have you ever walked into a nice restaurant, tasted the food, instantly grimaced and reached for the salt? That would be me, only I’d need way more than a little salt.
While it is nice to fantasize about having everything handed to me, it’s simply an escape**, just a thought that will never be true unless I have some super rich uncle in Ireland that suddenly surfaces and wants to help his negro descendant. ***
It's taken me this long to settle into the position that I wouldn’t trade in my childhood for a coming of age story fueled by nepotism. But let me be crystal clear, I’ve built personality, developed work ethic, hustled my ass off and have worked twice as hard for half as much - I am not above leaning into any form of nepotism or preferential treatment that comes my way. From this day forward, I welcome it into my life with open arms. And for all the other tenacious mamacita’s, you should too. Don’t let that pride stand in the way.
* Once, for my birthday, I told my girls that I wanted to make a fancy dinner for us to enjoy together. They broke into hysterical laughter when I presented a massive pot of chili and a ladle. I’m a simple gal.
** Is it healthy to escape reality by daydreaming about being a completely different person?
*** I’ve always wondered how my white ancestors feel about me. Like, do they watch out for me or are they up in arms over their “sullied bloodline”?
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