Sara Zavala

Mrs. Storer
English 3H, Block 4
March 25, 2020
My Aunt

Marta Zavala always carries the keys to her

Montessori school in Ojai. She studied child
psychology and after a few years she opened her
own Montessori school, she worked hard for it and
was proud of it. When she later moved to Italy and
then Norway, she still carried the keys to her school.
The jangle the keys made in her bag always gave
her joy to know she accomplished something great
in life, even if it meant moving on to a different place
and not being able to be present in her
accomplishment.

She carries a three-string bracelet on her left wrist. Family unity is significantly important
to my aunt, her son, daughter, and herself represent the three-string bracelet. She never takes
of the simple yet significant bracelet, the string’s knots represent the hard life struggles they’ve
had to endure as a family together.

She carries a polished rock from the Lofoten Islands in Norway. There is the first place
her soon to be husband took her not so long ago. She likes carrying the smooth small rock with
herself, it represents to her the hope of happy future with the person she loves, it represents to
her moving on to a different yet joyful life.

She carries her sadness. My aunt struggled recovering from the leaving of her husband,
she never fully understood why he left. She sometimes blamed herself for his departing. She
carried the sadness of seeing her children devastated by the leaving of their father. She dealt
with her sadness quietly, slowly yet steadily they were able to move on.

She carries her guilt. Often, she felt guilt, wondering if it was her fault that her husband
left. She carried the guilt of knowing that maybe the leaving of her husband was due to her and
her children had to suffer because of her.

She carries her doubtfulness. Now that she has found a person that makes her laugh
again and feel loved, she feels doubt. She carries the doubt of not knowing if she will be enough
for this person, everyday she fights for a brighter life and has learned to love herself once again.
She still carries doubt, but each new day she feels the doubt diminish. When she wakes up
every morning and sees the man who makes her feel like a new person, she feels happiness
and reassurance to know there is hope for her future.

My aunt struggled throughout the leaving of her husband, and it pained her even more to
see the heartbreak of her children. Even though her children were able to move on easier than
she ever could, she did her best effort to get out of bed every morning and continue to live her
life. Now that she has found happiness once again her eyes have been unveiled to new things
and she is in love again, her children are glad to see her well once again after consecutive
years of despair.
Sara Zavala
Mrs. Storer
English 3H, Block 4
March 25, 2020