My mother dropped out of school when she was 16 to work with her mother in a sweat factory to support her younger sisters and drunk father only for them to resent her. I grew up depending on my brothers fathers SSI and child support checks and welfare. I remember waiting in the long lines outside for the white labeled canned and boxed goods, nasty orange juice, and toys around christmas time. I remember the leaflet Food Stamps. I met my father for the first time when I was 8 only I was told that he was my father months later. Hes a successful attorney and a public figure in CV only I never received any hint of aid or support. I told my friends in school that my father was God in heaven. Growing up I was never involved with sports, clubs, or any extracurricular activities. I was vegetarian and we never celebrated any popular holidays like Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day or anything of the sort. Children exchanged cards and little toys while I folded my hands on my desk and stood up for myself and my families beliefs when they questioned me for my odd position. My sister lived in Cape Verde for much of her childhood apart from us, now I understand why....I had my turn when I was 10 in CV and again when I was 12 in New Bedford. I survived perilous situations and made it to where I am today because of God given instinct, the ability to make education decisions and take risks, and a relentlessly loving Mother who had to be apart from her children at times because the inability to afford us. Hell if Im going live the same life. Damned if Im going to watch the same happen to my children. Im isolated, alone, and at the mercy of the system. Like my ancestors and many Creoles before me who sailed the mighty seas, departing from their families for months and sometimes years at a time, I embark on this endeavor only to be called foolish, unstable, and irresponsible. Nobody sees what I see hence nobody understands what Im doing except, my Mother. No surprise. COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, VISION, SACRIFICE. Nothing Ive done to succeed has been traditional, regular or even normal. Im not about to start now.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Feb 2014 00:19:53 +0000
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