1. Ten years ago, a story began that many thought wouldn't last. Why do you think people doubted you?
Because we were statistically destined to fail. The timeline of our story was the exact opposite of what society perceives as a "future success case": we were young, we started with nothing figured out, we faced constant changes, travel, long absences due to work, and dreams that seemed too big for our age. Jacqueline hadn't finished her degree yet, we had only been dating for a year, and Luis worked abroad for 2 to 3 months at a time; when he returned, he dedicated himself to his business for up to 15 hours a day while studying in Guadalajara. The time we spent in person was minimal. When we became pregnant with Leonor, our first daughter, it had only been 6 months since Luis had lost his father suddenly. All factors pointed to the fact that nothing was coming at the perfect time. Fortunately, we never guided ourselves by what others say: while others saw obstacles, we saw projects. Ten years later, we are still here, proving that when two people grow in the same direction, what others say carries no weight.

2. Looking back, was there ever a moment when you yourselves wondered if you would make it?
Uncertainty is natural and fear is inevitable — we know that no one has the future guaranteed. But we were also sure that, by being a long-distance relationship, our constant communication had helped us get to know each other enough to bet on a goal we both had in common: having a family. Often, people worry too much about what should be happening in their lives and too little about solving what is right in front of them. Our philosophy has been to focus on the challenges of each stage, assume the role that corresponds to us, and give our best effort. Over time, we have learned that many of the things we pursue come as a consequence of doing the essential things well.

3. After a decade together, what definition of love do you have today that you never would have understood when you started?
That free love is the best of all. Knowing that we choose each other day by day has much more value than knowing we are bound by something external to us. Knowing that both of us could take different paths, but that we keep choosing to walk together every day, gives our commitment much more weight than any external obligation.

4. Many people talk about the excitement of falling in love. You talk about deciding to stay. What does it really mean to choose the same person over and over again?
Understanding that time does pass, and that life's adversities lead you to change your thoughts and your way of acting. Knowing that the other person's mistakes have nothing to do with you, and that we are one undetected trauma away from reacting in a way that could cause irreparable damage. It also means understanding that there will be good days, difficult days, and stages where one will have to hold the other up. Choosing each other every day is not ignoring problems, but deciding that the relationship is worth the effort to solve them together. After ten years, more than an emotion, love has become a conscious decision and a commitment that we renew every day — we believe that was what we conveyed at our wedding, when after 10 years together and 2 daughters, we made the decision to walk down the aisle.

5. What has been one of the hardest lessons you have learned about marriage?
Letting go of the family of origin: going through hard times as a family, deciding and living them only between him and me. That turned us into the determined and united couple we are today. One of the hardest lessons has been understanding that a full marriage cannot be built on two people who expect the other to complete them. Over time, we understood that each one is responsible for their own happiness, growth, and purpose. That led us to do something that isn't always comfortable: get to know ourselves, ask ourselves difficult questions, and be honest about who we are and where we want to go. Perhaps the most important lesson has been understanding that compatibility isn't about thinking the same way about everything, but about sharing a direction. When two people are clear about their individual goals and find a way to align them within a common life project, marriage ceases to be a simple relationship and becomes a true alliance.

6. In these ten years, what role have forgiveness and reconciliation played in building your relationship?
Forgiveness, until now, has been individual and personal. From the beginning, we created dynamics of zero disrespect, and granting the space and privacy that the other needs before talking about a conflict. Reconciliation is something we have experienced by getting the relationship back on track after an uncomfortable event for either one of us.

7. Was there any stage where you felt you were growing at different paces? How did you manage to keep walking in the same direction?
Definitely yes. There are stages where one is walking and the other seems to be flying; stages where one is focused on building, undertaking, or solving, while the other is going through a different internal, family, or personal process. The key is not to confuse different paces with different paths. We won't always advance at the same rate, but we must try not to lose sight of each other. If one accelerates too much, they also have the responsibility to look back, reach out a hand, and ensure the other is still part of the journey. Marriage is not about both flying at the same time, but about remembering that you chose to travel together.

"You shouldn't confuse different paces with different paths."

8. Becoming parents changes many dynamics. What did the arrival of your children transform in your relationship as a couple?
Our daughters arrived to be clean and clear mirrors before us — hahaha. They demanded urgent healing from us. We took the subject of healing patterns and defining what we did and didn't want to repeat with them very seriously, and that helped us a lot to build a much more stable relationship.

9. When routine, exhaustion, or responsibilities appear, how do you protect the bond that exists between you beyond being a mom and dad?
We give each other space, shorten conversations, and increase passive presence: "if you need me, I'm here; if you want to be alone, that's perfectly fine, but never feel abandoned." We are both very equitable in caring for the girls, and when we see the other overwhelmed, we give them their space. Having time as a couple is essential to having a happy family — family vacations and outings are fine, but it is also valid to go to the movies as a couple, travel as a couple, even to a hotel in the same city where you live, just to be alone.

10. What is something you admire about your partner today that you perhaps didn't value enough ten years ago?
Jacky: Luis has taught me so much, not only by his example as a person, husband, son, and dad. I have always admired his way of helping people — not just the "most needy," but he is always there to give good advice. He is extremely determined and knows how to redirect course in record time; he is the true master of not losing his head when something goes differently than planned.
Luis: I admire the tenacity and temperance that Jacky has for solving her problems. She has never been a person to hide from difficult things; on the contrary, she has always sought to understand them, face them, and work on them. In these ten years, I have seen her question herself, break bonds, unlearn patterns she grew up with, and rebuild herself little by little. It has been a long process, sometimes painful, but always with the intention of becoming a better version of herself. Today I admire much more the work she has done to become the woman she is.

11. Faith seems to be an important part of your story. How has it influenced the most difficult moments and the most important decisions you have made together?
We are faithful believers that problems are overcome much faster by trusting in God's will. It causes us less mental wear and helps us stop looking for the "why." Comfort is divine, and we believe faith is an excellent intercessory tool when it comes to trusting in processes or waiting for the result of a decision.

12. What is an uncomfortable conversation that every couple should dare to have before it becomes a problem?
The topics that require the most transparency and constant communication are finances and sex.

13. On social media, we usually see perfect relationships. What do you think people need to understand about real love?
Social media is perfect for inspiration, like looking for an outfit on Pinterest. The problem appears when you think that, because you see small moments on the internet, that means an absolute truth. We take social media references as inspiration — a trip, a date — but when that inspiration is confused with comparison, it turns into envy or frustration. Real love is what you are building in your reality, with the family you are creating, with the partner you chose, and in the environment in which you currently live.

STOP COMPARING YOURSELVES

14. If you could talk to the version of yourselves that was just beginning this story, what advice would you give them?

• You don't need to please anyone, including dads, moms, siblings, aunts, and uncles.
• You shouldn't carry everything alone — the people who love you are willing to help you.
• Everything passes: the good and the bad.

15. After ten years of learning, mistakes, growth, and love, what do you hope people remember when they think about Jacky and Luis's story?
Our mission is a legacy that is just beginning. We want to be references on family topics and always be remembered as "the ones who always walked hand in hand toward the same purpose."

And to close: if you could change the world one happy couple at a time, how would you complete this phrase?
Why Don't We... choose each other everyday?

Because the most valuable love is not the one born from obligation, but the one built when two people have the freedom to leave, but decide to stay.