Do I start by telling them how much of an amazing person you were? Do I tell them how creative you were? Or how much you loved animals? Do I tell them how you loved to rap and found music as an escape? How can I describe one of the most unique people I’ve known in my life? You didn’t have a child until I was in high school so we spent most of my childhood together. The love and curiosity for animals we shared made our bond so much stronger.
I remember June 11, 2012 very vividly… The weather was great, it was the last day of 9th grade and I was so happy and ready to start my summer. I just saw you the day before when you and mom-mom were arguing about where your sneakers were. It was the next day and nobody had heard from you. You didn’t even go back home last night and you went out without your backpack. You never go out without it which was a red flag, but we didn’t want to jump to conclusions and think the worse. We all knew something wasn’t right and something was off, we felt it in our stomach’s. As me and my mom are in the nail salon drying our nails, we have family members calling all around looking for you then my mom got the call as she’s drying her nails… They had your body at the morgue. My uncle who has been there since the day I was born is no longer with us. At this point, my mom is in the middle of the nail salon screaming and balling out in tears, because her brother was murdered the night before. All I could do was hold and comfort her while I was just as hurt, but my mom has always been there for me. I had to put myself aside and be there for her. Only 11 years apart in age, my uncle and I have always been close which made June 11, 2012 one of the worst days of my young life. We were more like brother and sister than uncle and niece. He was the last of his siblings to have a child, my grandma waited so long. Only for him to be taken away from his daughter when she was only six months old, and just days before his 24th birthday and his first father’s day. My uncle spent his life helping raise his nieces and nephews and was unable to raise his own child. I got a sleeve tattooed in remembrance of my uncle and even got his exact signature and his portrait tattooed on my back because he has always had my back. I carry around the note you wrote me when I graduated 6th grade. I got that note tattooed too, in your exact signature. The most important things that reminded me of you, I got tattooed because I always need you with me. I’ve made a few decisions and choices that should’ve landed me in some bad places in my life but I’m not. I can’t help to think that my guardian angel that’s tattooed on my back is who has had my back in those situations. You always urged me to make the right decisions even though you didn’t. When you were taken from us you were just getting yourself on the right track for your daughter and your family but sometimes it’s too late. Karma is real. While you were an amazing person, you weren’t perfect. Unfortunately, that bad you’ve done caught up to you just when you were in process of becoming a better you. None of those reasons gave anyone the right to take your life, you were still human. It’s hard to say I don’t still feel like you’ll pop up like you always did. I still think I’ll come downstairs and you’ll be on the couch sleep. What once was will never be again. As I write this trying to hold back my tears I realize, our family will never be the same. Your mom will never physically have three children again. Your daughter will never physically have a father. All we have are memories. Questions about my draft:
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The video illustrates Hiraeth because it's talking about yearning for a better city and just wanting things to get better as a community. Wanting your city to feel like home again and for the sense killings and murders of innocent people to stop.
I remember June 11, 2012 like it was yesterday… The weather was great, it was the last day of 9th grade and I was so happy and ready to start my summer. I just saw you the day before when you and grandma were arguing about where your sneakers were. It was the next day and nobody had heard from you. You didn’t even go back home last night and you went out without your backpack. You never go out without it which was a red flag, but we didn’t want to jump to conclusions and think the worse. We all knew something wasn’t right and something was off, we felt it in our stomach’s. As me and my mom are in the nail salon drying our nails, we have family members calling all around looking for you then my mom got the call as she’s drying her nails… They had your body at the morgue. My uncle who has been there since the day I was born is no longer with us. At this point, my mom is in the middle of the nail salon screaming and balling out in tears, because her brother was murdered the night before. All I could do was hold and comfort her while I was just as hurt, but my mom has always been there for me. I had to put myself aside and be there for her. Only 11 years apart in age, my uncle and I have always been close which made June 11, 2012 one of the worst days of my young life. He was the last of his siblings to have a child, my grandma waited so long. Only for him to be taken away from his daughter when she was only six months old, and just days before his 24th birthday and his first father’s day. My uncle spent his life helping raise his nieces and nephews and was unable to raise his own child. I got a sleeve tattooed in remembrance of my uncle and even got his exact signature and his portrait tattooed on my back because he has always had my back. Home isn't always a place, it can be a person. The person who helped shape you and help you become who you are today.
Hiraeth? Well, first of all, I’m still having a hard time pronouncing the word correctly. When I first heard the word, I wasn’t sure what it could mean. I didn’t even know where to start; I honestly thought it was some type of food maybe. I eventually googled what it meant and of course I had the definition completely wrong. After looking at a few different sites, the overall definition of a Hiraeth is basically feeling homesick and/or yearning or longing for a certain feeling. Hiraeth is the want to go back to a time or place that may never be again, if it ever was. The first thing that came to my mind when thinking of Hiraeth that people could relate to was Titanic the movie. Everyone wants the love story of Rose and Jack, despite how it ended. The yearn to want someone who loves you regardless of your background or social class is something every human wants. How could you not want a love like that? The vibe of romance and love that Rose and Jack gives off is absolutely, it hard not to want that in your own life. The feeling of being loved by someone, belonging to someone, being loved unconditionally is what we all hope for one day. Most of us seem to have a move-like idea of what love is, but is it realistic? A yearning to want a love like a movie is everyone’s fantasy/dream. |
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