A Shattered Heart

It was just another lunch time at the summer education program. I, wearing my plastic gloves, was feeding Andy, Angel, Ozmar, Yolanda and Princess and attempting to keep up a conversation with Olivia, Princess’s sister and Andy and Angel’s cousin. She was telling me about her family and then casually mentioned, “Sometimes Andy’s mom gets mad and slaps Angel and Andy.” In that instant, with a spoonful of hamburger gravy in my hand, my heart shattered.

I looked at the two smiling four-years old cousins Angel and Andy who were pouring milk all over and singing songs no one else knew the words to. Those boys were a handful; we even joked about how Angel really should have been named Devil. However, I could not imagine someone hitting those beautiful boys, especially someone who was supposed to love them. They didn’t deserve that. It was in that instant that I was outraged about child abuse. I had heard horror stories and read the book A Child Called It, but this time it was my boys’ faces that burned red under someone’s hand. My mom is an elementary education teacher, and when I interviewed her for my sophomore career paper she said the worst part of her job is seeing children she knows have been abused. Abuse takes the light out of a child and can change their personality for the rest of their lives. I still can’t understand what would make an adult hurt a child they love.

Sadly, the thing that outraged me nearly as much as the abuse itself was that I couldn’t do anything. Sure, I could turn Andy’s mom into child services, but they would probably leave for Texas before anything could be done. Besides, would he better off in some foster home away from the family that did love him? That night I drug myself home from work, and just cried. I cried for my boys, for all my students going back to unsafe homes, and for all kids who live in fear under their own roofs. I just didn’t know what to do, and that was infuriating.

Spinning the Wheel of Life

The article “The Game of Life” by Kathleen Dennehy is a great personal essay for several reasons. First, Dennehy discusses the game of Life which is a subject nearly everyone has some memory of. She then takes this well-known topic and makes it her own by describing her game with her three young nieces. Dennehy also uses humor throughout the essay, such as the elation at drawing the $120,000 salary card, which makes the piece enjoyable to read. The best aspect of this personal essay is that Dennehy combines a critique of true life with her playing of the game Life. For example, she talks about the disappointment people find when their life doesn’t turn out the way they had planned as a child. She shares this idea when discussing how nothing truly horrible happens in the fictional game of life; no minimum wage jobs or internet dating. Dennehy also talks about the empowerment of women by relating who her nieces chose to drive their plastic cars. The fact that they wanted their pink person to drive instead of the blue husband was much different from her childhood days where sitting shotgun was to be expected. The essay “Game of Life” is a great example of a personal essay because Dennehy talks about important themes in the humorous and personal form of playing a board game.

Carried in my Heart

There are so many things I carry, hidden inside my heart. One part of my heart carries my sense of self and the pride of my family’s heritage. Another is filled with dreams of a life of exciting places and romance. A large portion of my heart carries the love for my smiling cousin Riley and all my family, as well as my faith in God. Along with the contents that lift my soul, I carry things inside me I wish I could shrug off; things I am afraid to carry because they might suffocate me. I hate the fear that my sister could plummet down to the dark depression that almost stole her from me. I want to throw out my friends’ problems with drinking and the sad lives of the Migrant kids I teach. Lying hidden inside of me is the fear that my dreams will forever remain just outside my reach. Yet when things get hard and I am mired down by the weight of the things I carry, I simply look around see the only One who can take my burdens away. I hand my burdens over to the Man waiting to lift me up.

A Bit About O'Brien

While listening to the The Notebook director's commentary this weekend, I heard that Tim O'Brien is an extra in that movie. (He is a friend at the luncheon Ali's dad has for those of you who have seen the movie.) This is really unimportant, but I found it interesting since we were just reading his work.

Beware the Bus

I decided to right a small warning to those of you who plan to ride the bus, because as your classmate I feel the need to warn you of potential bus hazards. Although Professor Spencer made riding the bus seem easy, it is actually a little trickier than you would think. Make sure to not only read, but understand the bus schedule. That way you won't end up standing outside a gas station in the cold rain waiting for a taxi. I hope this is helpful.