The Quinceañera I Never Had

A couple of weeks ago I wrote No Time, an entry jotting four topics that I wanted to expand on but didn't have time to before. Now, I'm ready to reply. The nearest grocery store to us, in the woods, is 12 minutes away. The closest hispanic-anything is north of 20 minutes from us. Not complaining. But that's the reason why it was so easy for me to spot a group of teens practicing for a quince1 outside on their driveway. A quince, short "quinceañera," refers to a traditional 15th birthday celebration in Latin American culture that marks a girl's transition from childhood to womenhood. Rituals of a Quinceañera Celebration The court of honor: A select group of family and friends who perform a surprise choreographed dance with the birthday girl. The waltz/vals: A special father-daughter dance. Sometimes other family members are also invited to dance with the quinceañera one by one. Changing of the shoes: The quinceañera enters wearing flats or sneakers, and her parents replace them with…