I am from

I am from “Shoot it!” “Get the rebound!” “Put it back up son!”
to “When will I see Dad next?”
I am from being the man of the house, as a confused nine year old,
to wondering why this happened?
I am from the home, struggling without a father
to overcoming that and stepping up as a father figure for my siblings
I am from scared, confused, crying, asking “When will dad come home?”
to comforting and tucking the kids in for bed

I am from a Christian school with supportive teachers
and students who made fun of me for not having a father
I am from missing my dad teach me the basics of basketball in his free time
to having a new “teacher” yell and scream my name when I made a mistake
I am from where teammates on the court wouldn’t pass me the ball cause of my parents’ marital status
to “work hard play hard” being my moto in practice and games
I am from seeing fathers in the stands cheering their kids on
to having to change my mindset and play for me

I am from where trust issues bound me from talking to my counselor
to gaining the one therapist I could express my feelings to
I am from a single mother trying to raise four kids
to living two different lives, one with an unfamiliar stepmom
I am from a readjustment to a double life
to getting used to such a way of living
I am from a time that affected how I perceived my role in the family as the oldest
to overcoming and gaining maturity and responsibility for life’s journey
I am from what no kid should ever have to experience