1 Micah Benza Mr. Harrell English Comp. 1 9 September 2013 The Da The !

e"t # remember the $a li%e it &as ester$a . # &as going to be entering %in$ergarten in the "all. M sister' Tori' &o(l$ be starting "irst gra$e that ear. M sister an$ # &ere pla ing in the li)ing room' &hen a strange car p(lle$ into the $ri)e&a . M mother ran o(t to the car as m gran$mother got o(t. She &as "ollo&e$ b t&o %i$s abo(t o(r age' one &as a bo an$ the other &as a girl. That &as the $a that Tori an$ # met o(r co(sins an$ soon to be best "rien$s. Mother le$ them all insi$e an$ intro$(ce$ (s. The bo s name &as *olan an$ he &as the same age as me. The girl &as the same age as Tori' an$ her name &as +a la. To this $a # still $o not %no& the &hole reason as to &h the mo)e$ in &ith (s' b(t # am gla$ that the $i$.

The "irst "e& months &ere a&%&ar$ as &e all a$,(ste$ to the co(sins mo)ing in &ith (s. -s time &ent on &e gre& closer an$ closer together. .e gre& to be best "rien$s an$ starte$ to consi$er each other siblings beca(se &e &ere al&a s aro(n$ each other. .e bon$e$ li%e normal siblings $o. .e &o(l$ arg(e o)er the small things that sho(l$ not ha)e reall mattere$ to (s b(t &ere a big $eal at that time. .e &o(l$ pla together' &e &o(l$ "ight' an$ &e &o(l$ p(ll pran%s. .e &ere li%e normal little siblings. Then m parents ha$ another son &hom the name$ *oah. He &as so m(ch o(nger than (s tho(gh that he &o(l$ get le"t behin$ &hen &e &o(l$ pla . So m parents ha$ another %i$' name$ Bella. The ' both' gre& (p &ith *olan an$ +a la al&a s being aro(n$ an$ co(l$ not (n$erstan$ the concept that the &ere not reall o(r siblings. *olan an$ +a la ha$ been in the "amil longer than both *oah an$ Bella. .e starte$ to thin% that &e &o(l$ act(al be siblings an$ that the &o(l$ li)e &ith (s (ntil &e

2 gra$(ate. B(t then one $a that all change$. /(r 0ncle' their "ather' &ante$ to get his %i$s bac%. So it starte$ &ith e)er other &ee%en$ he &o(l$ get them "or the &ee%en$. .hich &as "ine b me. #t &as not to long o" a time "or them to be a&a . -"ter that &ent on "or a "e& ears he starte$ to get them e)er &ee%en$ &hich # $i$ not li%e at all. Then the $a came &hen +a la $eci$e$ that she &ante$ to mo)e bac% in &ith her $a$. *olan still &ante$ to sta &ith (s so that is &hat he $i$. He &o(l$ go there e)er other &ee%en$ to )isit +a la an$ his $a$. Then a little o)er a ear a"ter +a la mo)e$ o(t' *olan $eci$e$ that he &as rea$ to mo)e o(t. #t &as o)er Christmas brea% that he mo)e$ o(t o" o(r ho(se an$ in &ith his $a$. .e &ere all cr(she$ an$ lonel . Then the &orst thing happene$. .e &ere not allo&e$ to contact or )isit them.

The ha$ li)e$ &ith (s "or se)en ears in total. -ll the &a "rom %in$ergarten' (p (ntil si1th gra$e. Then as soon as the mo)e bac% in &ith their $a$ &e are c(t o"" "rom them. .e &ere not allo&e$ to comm(nicate or see them. Beca(se o" that # &ent thro(gh a reall ro(gh time. # ha$ a phase o" $epression. M gra$es &ere $ropping along &ith m appetite. # &o(l$ secl($e m sel" to m room an$ $i$ not &ant to be social &ith an one. # &ent to t&o ps chologist b(t # ,(st co(l$ not $o it. # co(l$ not e1plain to them ho& # "elt. The ne)er seeme$ to "(ll (n$erstan$ &hat &as going on no matter ho& man times # &o(l$ e1plain it to them So # %ept to m sel" an$ p(she$ e)er one a&a . # $i$ not &ant to get close to an one again. # "o(n$ m sel" )er lost in m "aith an$ m o&n tho(ghts. # ,(st co(l$ not (n$erstan$ &h a"ter se)en ears the &o(l$ ,(st lea)e an$ not loo% bac% at (s. # co(l$n2t &rap m min$ aro(n$ &hat &o(l$ ca(se people so close to o( to $o that. E)ent(all # starte$ to loo% aro(n$ "or things to $o to help me cope. # starte$ into photograph ' %arate' an$ r(nning. -ll three o" these acti)ities helpe$ to calm me an$ start to thin% straighter. # still $o all three o" those to help calm me $o&n to this $a . # starte$ to "eel better an$ starte$ socializing again. # stoppe$ p(shing people a&a "rom m sel". # &or%e$ on p(lling bac% the people that # ha$ p(she$ a&a . # starte$ "eeling goo$ an$

3 normal again. # $i$ not "eel as empt as # ha$ be"ore. # starte$ eating an$ &or%e$ on p(lling m gra$es (p. # &as $oing great an$ tho(ght # ha$ gotten past e)er thing' an$ then the $a came.

/ne $a a"ter school' in the ninth gra$e' m mother approache$ me &ith a serio(s loo% on her "ace. She then as%e$ i" # &o(l$ li%e to spen$ the &ee%en$ at *olan2s ho(se. # literall "roze (p beca(se # $i$ not %no& ho& to react. So "inall &hen # &as able to get it o(t # sai$ es an$ &ent (p to start pac%ing. M parents came (p a little later to sit $o&n an$ tal% &ith me. The &ante$ to "ill me in as to &h # &as able to $o this. The also &ante$ to tell me &h &e &ere not able to comm(nicate or see them the past "e& ears. /(r 0ncle ha$ as%e$ "or the no contact beca(se he &ante$ to be &ith his %i$s. He "elt that &e &ere so close to them' that the &o(l$ consi$er (s their "amil not him. He $i$ not &ant his %i$s to be closer to another "amil than the are &ith him. !oo%ing bac% on that $ecision no&' it ma%es sense. # can (n$erstan$ &h he &o(l$ &ant that. B(t at the time # $i$ not see it as "air. #t ma$e no sense to me. # sa& it as' he c(t (s o"" "or his personal gain. B(t a"ter that con)ersation # "inishe$ pac%ing m st("" (p an$ loa$e$ (p the car. .hen # got $roppe$ o""' # barel recognize$ them beca(se the ha$ change$ so m(ch o)er the past "o(r ears. #t "elt li%e &e &ere starting the stor all o)er again. The a&%&ar$' not %no&ing &hat to sa phase laste$ a "e& ho(rs. -"ter &e got past that tho(gh' it starte$ to "eel normal again. # starte$ to "eel "(ll complete again. # got to see m 3brother4 an$ 3sister4 again. Since then &e ha)e been in contact an$ h(ng o(t &hene)er &e co(l$. .e are not as close as &e (se$ to be b(t &e are still close an$ consi$er o(rsel)es still siblings.

# learne$ a n(mber o" things "rom this e1perience that # ha)e ,(st share$ &ith o(. Thro(gh this har$ship # ha)e learne$ the meaning o" a "amil an$ ho& necessar it is to a person to s(r)i)e. # pic%e$ (p on &hat m passion is &hile searching "or m coping mechanism. The happene$ to be the same three things. /ne o" the biggest things that # learne$ is that things ma not ma%e sense at the time b(t i"

5 o( let it pla o(t an$ loo% at it as a big pict(re it &ill ma%e more sense. To$a loo%ing bac% on m 0ncle2s reasoning # (n$erstan$ it' b(t at the time # "elt it &as (n"air an$ &rong. So i" there is something that o( learn "rom me' please let it be this. #ts best to (se a panoramic lens than ta%e m(ltiple pict(res an$ tr to piece them together.