There’s a scene in almost every underdog sports movie where the scrappy protagonist hooks the attention of a coach who just knows they’ve got what it takes. Think Coach Boone in Remember the Titans or that classic Yoda moment when Luke Skywalker can’t even lift his little X-Wing. "Do or do not, there is no try," Yoda says, as if he’s about to get a TED Talk invitation any second. These moments make up the backbone of inspiration stories: someone sees what you can’t yet see in yourself, opens your eyes, and changes the game. But in real life, that moment doesn’t always come on a football field. Sometimes, it happens on a humid Tuesday in Miami, over steaming café cubano and empanadas.

For me, that person was Señora Ortega, my high school creative writing teacher, a woman with a closet full of guayaberas and a booming laugh that made you feel like you’d just landed on center stage. She saw me, not as I presented myself at the time—quiet, bookish, and too embarrassed to raise my hand—but as someone capable of something bigger. Sure, I had plans, but my version of "bigger" back then capped out at Miami-Dade Community College and maybe, maybe one day owning a reliable car. Changing the trajectory of my life? That wasn’t even on my radar.

The Coffee Spill that Started It All

The pivotal moment came when Señora Ortega caught me in an act of pure, unfiltered chaos in the school’s outdoor lunch area. My friends were arguing over whether Romeo’s love for Juliet was romantic or just plain desperate (spoiler: desperate), when I made some snarky comment about how Juliet should’ve ghosted Romeo after the third over-the-top metaphor. My hands were full, gesturing wildly because, well, I’m Cuban, and hand-talking is practically a genetic trait. In my dramatics, I knocked over an entire Styrofoam cup of café cubano onto a stack of books.

“¡Ay Dios mío!” I remember shrieking as I tried to salvage a sticky, caffeine-soaked tragedy. But while I was panicking, Señora Ortega, who’d been holding court a few tables down, looked over and grinned.

“That’s a writer right there,” she said loud enough for me to hear.

Confused (and a little embarrassed), I asked her what she meant. She waved me over, and what followed was an hour-long conversation that stayed with me long after the coffee dried. I told her about how I loved picking apart stories in my head. She asked questions like she truly cared: Who were my favorite characters? Did I write? Why not? “You see the world differently,” she said with the kind of certainty people usually reserve for lottery numbers. "You should lean into that."

Seeing What You Don’t See in Yourself

Here’s the thing about people like Señora Ortega: they don’t just hand you a compliment and walk away. They’re sideline coaches who keep showing up, shouting encouragements, even when you’re tripping over your own feet. Over time, her belief in me started to chip away at my self-doubt. She encouraged me to enter a local writing contest—a nerve-wracking idea that made my stomach churn—and even edited my submission after school. The story? A barely fictionalized version of my abuelita’s tales about Cuba during the 1950s, mixed with some magical realism because I couldn’t help but channel my inner García Márquez. The result? A first-place ribbon, a brief mention in the Miami Herald, and most importantly, the realization that maybe, just maybe, Señora Ortega was onto something.

How They Light the Spark

Let’s pause for a second: why does it matter so much when someone sees your potential before you do? The difference comes down to belief. When we’re caught up in our routines or insecurities, it’s easy to settle for “good enough.” But someone like Señora Ortega swoops in and expands your vision. They make you stop playing small and start asking, "What if I could take it further?"

Here’s what I learned—and what you can practice yourself, whether for a friend, a partner, or even a stranger—about truly seeing someone:

  • Ask Questions, Then Really Listen. Señora Ortega’s encouragement didn’t come from guessing; it came from paying attention to what lit me up. Be curious about other people’s stories and struggles. It's the same for relationships: instead of assuming, dig deeper.
  • Reflect Their Strengths Back to Them. Sometimes, we talk ourselves out of our own greatness. Be the voice that reminds someone how talented, brave, or capable they truly are.
  • Don’t Let Them Mislead You With Modesty. I tried to tell Señora Ortega that my family wasn’t the “dream-chasing” kind and that practicalities always came first. She told me practicalities could wait. “Dreams,” she said, “don’t knock twice.”

Lessons Wrapped in Nostalgia

We all need a Señora Ortega. Someone who shows us the version of ourselves we haven’t met yet, but one day will. For me, her belief wasn’t just a compliment I could pin to my jacket—it was a permission slip to imagine bigger. And imagining bigger changes everything.

The journey she set me on wasn’t an easy one. My parents were skeptical when I told them I wanted to navigate a career in writing. (“M’ija, eso no paga,” my dad would remind me, helpful as ever.) But it was her endorsement that gave me courage to push back—to insist that storytelling, whether through journalism, fiction, or even sharing this moment with you, had worth. Years later, when I was accepted into my MFA program, I mailed her a handwritten thank-you note. I wish I could say it was effortlessly poetic, but let’s be honest: it was slightly messy and filled with emojis. (She loved it anyway.)

Build Those Seeing-Eye Skills

Not everyone gets their Señora Ortega moment early in life. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to wait for someone else to see you. Sometimes, you have to be your own cheerleader—or, better yet, a cheerleader for others. Here’s how:

  1. Notice Patterns in People’s Interests: Whether it’s a friend raving about the same topic or a partner who has an overlooked skill, point it out. Validation can ripple into surprising changes.
  2. Create Spaces for Expression: Some of us need a little nudge to share our dreams, big or small. Be that nudge, whether it’s through a conversation, an invitation, or just being present.
  3. Be Generous With Encouragement: This doesn’t mean fake flattery. It means being specific and sincere. Tell someone exactly why their effort, personality, or skill stands out to you.

What It Means to See—and Show Up

Señora Ortega didn’t just write a chapter in my life—she handed me a blank notebook and said, “Fill this up.” Her lessons weren’t just about writing; they were about legacy. Who we impact, how we empower others, and what it means to leave a little light wherever we go.

If you’ve ever had someone see you in a way others didn’t—like your worth was magnified under a spotlight—carry that with pride. And if you’ve never had that moment yet, trust me: your spotlight moment is coming. Maybe, today, it’s your turn to be the person who sees someone else.

Because what changes trajectories isn’t just talent or grit. It’s faith, given freely, passed forward, and multiplied. The kind of faith only the right person—that friend, mentor, or stranger—gives when you need it most. And sometimes, all it takes is a spilled coffee to start the story.