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May 2026
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HOMEWARD HEARTS How Heritage Heals the Distance Between Us
When was the last time you spent a weekend with dozens of your loved ones and oldest friends?
Whether it was last week, last year, or decades ago, it’s been too long. Our lives are blessed by those we hold dear, and it’s always a gift to spend precious time with them. As the only member of my family to have immigrated to the U.S. from Paraguay, I’m reminded of this fact every single day. We celebrate many holidays and special occasions this time of year, but I’m especially fond of National Visit Your Relatives Day on May 18. When this year’s date rolls around, I’ll likely be just a few weeks away from making one of the three trips I take annually to visit my homeland. I typically travel there in February for my mother’s birthday, in June for my father’s birthday, and in October or November to be as close to my sister’s birthday (as well as a close friend’s) as my schedule allows. With my brothers and sisters still living there and my parents in their 80s, I try my best to make at least three trips to Paraguay each year and stay for about a week each time. It’s a long trip, so I’ll go alone if my family here in Florida can’t make it. Whenever I go, everyone is there … and I mean everyone. Saturday is the biggest day of the trip, when dozens of nieces, nephews, siblings, in-laws, and friends gather for food and fun. We typically eat milanesa (thinly pounded steak that’s fried until crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside) and catch up. The festivities usually continue into Sunday, when many of us either go out to eat or prepare a cookout. The weekends are long, long gatherings I cherish each and every time. And that’s not all. My February trips coincide with the Carnival in Encarnación, where I get to see many close friends and people I grew up with or first met in high school. For those unfamiliar with the event, it’s like a Halloween party, with people dressing up in costumes or wearing casual Bermuda shorts. It’s a fantastic way to have a great time, especially with the good company I always look forward to seeing there.
Of course, you don’t need to travel long distances (or travel at all) to “visit” with those you love. Although it’s wonderful to see people in person, technology now allows anyone to connect with their loved ones over video. There are many ways to stay in touch with relatives near and far; the most important thing is to do so as often as possible. As an elder law attorney and a husband and father, I’ve learned the beauty and value of staying close to my roots and family. There’s no greater joy in my profession than helping my clients live harmonious family lives, and I strive to accomplish that every day at home here
in Florida and during my trips to Paraguay. Life is too short not to embrace the gift each moment brings. Make the most of this month by visiting your relatives any way you can. You don’t need a major carnival or a massive meal; all you need is the people you love.
–Horacio Sosa
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YOUTH INNOVATION AIMED AT ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS TEEN TESTS A TINY HOME SOLUTION
In London, Ontario, an 18-year-old is getting ready to spend a year in a tiny house he designed himself. His name is Ribal Zebian, and you might recognize it from the headlines he made for an electric wooden car he built while still in high school. Now, his focus has shifted to a different challenge in his hometown. About 1,800 people in London are currently
experiencing homelessness, and that number continues to rise. Zebian hopes to contribute another tool to the growing list of potential solutions. He has designed a modular home that can be assembled in a single day, is affordable, and offers a protective, aesthetically pleasing design. The current design is built from fiberglass panels with a PET foam core, which also helps insulate and support the roof. Right now, the model is a small 8x8-foot shelter, but he says the same design can be scaled up to create larger units. Inside, the prototype is deliberately basic. It’s a secure, compact space with enough room for a bed and a place to store essentials. Zebian wants it to feel like a room someone could actually live in, not a storage bin with a mattress thrown in. The fiberglass and PET foam used for the walls
and roof help reduce drafts and retain heat during cold Canadian winters.
Beginning this month, Zebian plans to test the design’s effectiveness by staying in the house for a full year. He wants to see how it handles summer heat, wet spring weather, and deep-freeze temperatures. That experience will guide the next version and, he hopes, make the design more sturdy and long-lasting. Zebian knows his tiny house isn’t a solution to homelessness. The long-term answers involve a variety of factors, including more affordable housing and better access to support and mental health services. But what his idea can offer is a safer step between a tent and a permanent home. If cities or nonprofits can quickly place a cluster of these units, it could give people a warm, private place to stay while they work on the rest of their lives.
OZEMPIC FOR CATS?
How GLP-1s Could Help Pets Slim Down
Though we love our pets no matter what, sometimes the extra treats lead to extra pounds and a visit to the veterinarian for weight-loss recommendations. Could the latest GLP-1 medications, so popular for humans, officially be “going to the dogs” … and the cats, too? If your furry friend could stand to shed some mass, here’s the latest study worth purring about.
which is a different variety than popular weight loss drugs for humans like Ozempic, which uses semaglutide. Whisker Wellness Kitty obesity is a common problem, with over 50% of household cats in the U.S. being overweight. Just as it does for
humans, weight management can extend our pets’ lives and reduce serious health issues like joint pain and diabetes. Okava believes that GLP-1 could offer benefits, such as better heart health and reduced inflammation, for pets that are even more effective than switching their diet and starting an exercise routine. Timeline Tails So, what does the future hold for pet weight loss medications, and does MEOW- 1 mean you may soon be able to buy GLP-1s for your cat or dog? Okava hopes to seek FDA approval between 2027 and 2028 and is already planning to study dogs next. They hope to make the product available for about $100 per month out of pocket. However, experts say large clinical trials are still needed, and it’s uncertain if the drugs can feasibly come in at a price point pet owners are willing to pay.
Feline Findings San Francisco-based Okava
Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting the first-ever clinical trial of GLP-1 weight- loss therapy for household pets. Named MEOW-1, the study aims to determine whether chunky cats can slim down with a miniature implant under the skin that continuously delivers GLP-1 for six months. They will monitor up to 50 cats with the implant and check their weight at three months. Okava’s GLP-1 is called exenatide,
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DISCOVER EGYPT’S ABANDONED OBELISK Cracked Grandeur
TAKE A BREAK
BLOOM CINCO COMIC DERBY EMERALD GEMINI GRADUATION LILY MEMORIAL MOTHER
Sometimes, you need to know when to cut your losses and move on.
This fact hit home for the ancient Egyptian workers who created and ultimately abandoned one of history’s most epic monuments to human failure: the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt. On paper (or, back then, papyrus ), the Unfinished Obelisk was meant to be a monolithic masterpiece worthy of the gods. Obelisks were monuments made of a single stone slab, erected in pairs outside Egyptian temples. This particular one is believed to have been commissioned by the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled from 1473–1458 B.C.E., for either the temple of Amun in Karnak or as part of a possible tribute to the sun god Ra. The Unfinished Obelisk was intended to be the tallest and most beautiful granite monument of its kind. When completed, it was meant to stand nearly 140 feet tall, weigh about 2.5 million pounds, and embody breathtaking religious devotion and technical precision. Unfortunately, these epic plans never came to fruition. After months (and possibly even years) spent toiling in the hot sun on the project, the workers discovered a significant crack in the granite, rendering any further construction pointless. What was once imagined as the most ambitious endeavor of its kind was reluctantly abandoned to the shifting sands of time. The Unfinished Obelisk was discovered more than 3,000 years later in an Aswan quarry, still on its side and displaying the chisel marks left by diligent workers who saw their hard work come to a disheartening end. Despite its incomplete state, the site offers a fascinating glimpse into the innovative methods used to create an obelisk, including the use of dolerite rock balls to quarry the granite. Today, it’s part of an open-air museum where people can actually walk on this majestic statue and marvel at one of the world’s most stunning missed opportunities.
RENEWAL VETERANS
Shrimp Taco Soup
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp chili powder • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp agave • 2 cups water • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained • 10 oz frozen corn • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined • Jalapeño slices,
• 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided • Black pepper, to taste • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 small onion, diced • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges, for toppings as desired
Directions 1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. 2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, then add onion and peppers; cook 5–6 minutes. 3. Stir in seasoning mix. 4. Add tomatoes, agave, water, remaining salt, and more pepper to taste. Let simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Stir in beans and corn, then add shrimp. 6. Cook 4–5 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through. 7. Add desired toppings before serving.
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954-532-9447 SosaLegal.com 2924 Davie Rd., Ste. 102 Davie, FL 33314
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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The Connections That Carry Us Home
A Prototype Home for the Unhoused
Weight Loss Medications Go Fluffy
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Shrimp Taco Soup
A Queen’s Monumental Misfire
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How 2-Step Verification Could Lock Your Family Out Forever
Today, a tremendous portion of our lives exists online. Bank accounts, investment portals, photo libraries, business tools, medical records, and even sentimental emails are all locked behind passwords and verification codes. But when two-step verification is turned on, those accounts can become permanently sealed after you’re gone. Two-step verification (often called two-factor authentication) is the extra security step many websites and apps now require when you log in. You enter your password, then you’re asked to confirm your identity a second way, usually through a one-time code sent to your phone, email, or an authentication app. It’s designed to keep hackers out, and during your lifetime, it does a great job of that. The problem occurs when that protection creates a mess for your loved ones later. Even when an executor or family member has the legal right to manage your affairs, they may still hit a wall. A code is sent to a phone that’s no longer active. An authentication app is tied to a device that no one can unlock. This can leave loved ones frustrated, facing delays, and sometimes important information or assets that were never meant to disappear get lost. That’s why digital planning has become a critical part of modern estate planning. It’s no longer enough to list your accounts or write down a few passwords. You need a clear plan for how digital access works, who is allowed But Did You Plan for Access Later? You Secured Your Accounts
to step in, and what should happen to those security features when you’re no longer able to use them yourself.
A solid approach includes keeping an updated inventory of your digital accounts, choosing someone you trust to manage them, and storing access instructions in a secure but discoverable place. Just as important, your estate documents should clearly authorize that trusted person to manage your online accounts and to follow platform rules when access is needed. Two-step verification is smart. Planning for it is smarter. With a little foresight, you can protect your digital life now and make things far easier for the people you leave behind.
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