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The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Award-winning essays on courage written by sixth-eight grade students participating in The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum.

Award-winning essays on courage written by sixth-eight grade students participating in The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum.

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Devyn Costa<br />

Kate Lynch, Teacher<br />

Roosevelt Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />

<strong>Courage</strong> is the feeling <strong>of</strong> bravery deep within. Sometimes, courage has to be<br />

used to get through times no one can explain. Times that might not be shown<br />

physically, but mentally. <strong>Courage</strong> is the opposite <strong>of</strong> fear <strong>and</strong> is used to combat<br />

fear; although, it’s not easy to not fear things.<br />

My dad was a part <strong>of</strong> my life for a long time. We did everything together. We<br />

danced along to the country music he put on the speaker. I’d help him cook<br />

on Sunday, where my family would all sit around the table <strong>and</strong> talk. I would<br />

run err<strong>and</strong>s with him, <strong>and</strong> we would always joke <strong>and</strong> laugh. I would also ride<br />

in his work van. Music would be blasted from the radio, <strong>and</strong> sometimes he<br />

would sing along. I remember going to his job sites too. He was a carpenter,<br />

so whenever he came home, I would treat his little wounds with soapy water<br />

<strong>and</strong> a b<strong>and</strong>-aid, hoping that made him feel better. Sometimes, we’d talk about<br />

what the future might be. He wasn’t what everyone thought was perfect, but<br />

that didn’t matter. Sometimes I wondered what I would do without him. I<br />

didn’t want to, but I never thought he would leave.<br />

He was never in a great, healthy condition <strong>and</strong> sometimes he would be sick, or<br />

super tired. I would worry, but he would always tell me, “I’m okay.” He always<br />

had bumps, bruises <strong>and</strong> scars everywhere. That didn’t matter to him though.<br />

He would do what he had to do. He could replace a window quickly. He was<br />

very strong. He would pick me or my brother up <strong>and</strong> turn us upside down,<br />

so that we would laugh. He once told me a story about when he was working,<br />

<strong>and</strong> a wall wasn’t stable enough, so then it fell on him. I thought that it was<br />

amazing that he got up again. He had plates in his legs from that incident, so<br />

sometimes the plates would cause him pain whenever it rained. I thought it<br />

was like a superpower he had, being able to tell when it’s going to rain. He was<br />

special <strong>and</strong> different.<br />

When COVID-19 hit, he was different but not in a good way. I could see that<br />

he tried to be happy, but something was bothering him. He was sick all the<br />

time, <strong>and</strong> he never went to the doctor. So <strong>of</strong> course, I worried. My mom <strong>and</strong> I<br />

always told him that he should go to the doctor, but he said he was fine. I knew<br />

he wasn’t, but it was hard to convince him to do something he didn’t want to.<br />

Eventually, I gave up <strong>and</strong> started to feel upset more <strong>of</strong>ten. I didn’t like what<br />

happened during quarantine. It was upsetting <strong>and</strong> boring. He had little work,<br />

so that meant he stayed at home with us. But I could see how ill he was.<br />

“I felt emotions I’ve<br />

never felt before.<br />

It was almost like<br />

the situation woke<br />

me up to what<br />

reality really is.”<br />

On March 24th, it was his birthday! I decorated <strong>and</strong> threw a little party for<br />

him. I didn’t really know what to add, except food, drawings <strong>and</strong> decorations.<br />

I was so excited for him to come home <strong>and</strong> to see what I did for him. I<br />

remember coloring a lion because lions were his favorite animal. It was such a<br />

happy moment when he got home <strong>and</strong> saw everything. I put on country music<br />

because he loved it. It was a small party because we didn’t invite anyone, but<br />

it was a family party, that’s what mattered. Later that night though, he started<br />

to act unusual. All I remember is him sitting in the hallway <strong>and</strong> screaming. I<br />

was so scared! I tried snapping him out <strong>of</strong> it, but I didn’t know how. I was only<br />

ten years old without any experience <strong>of</strong> dealing with difficult situations. He<br />

eventually went to sleep. He had to be picked up by the ambulance. He passed<br />

away at the hospital. I felt uneasy after his death.<br />

My mom was really attached to him. <strong>The</strong>y were perfect together. She was<br />

upset, <strong>and</strong> she would cry sometimes. She took some drugs to bear with the<br />

sadness <strong>of</strong> my dad’s death. I wish that she didn’t. I noticed that she’d been in<br />

her room for more than an hour. I went to check on her, <strong>and</strong> she was passed<br />

out on the floor. I tried waking her up, I called one <strong>of</strong> my sisters for advice too.<br />

My older brother even tried waking her up. But nothing worked. My oldest<br />

sister had to come to our house with her girlfriend so that mom could get in<br />

the ambulance. I had to pack some <strong>of</strong> my things <strong>and</strong> leave.<br />

I felt emotions I’ve never felt before. It was almost like the situation woke<br />

me up to what reality really is. I had never truly known what could happen<br />

in a person’s life until I experienced it. It was an upsetting experience, an<br />

experience I never want to go through ever again. I did save her life, though,<br />

<strong>and</strong> to be honest, it was only a matter <strong>of</strong> luck that I had done what I did.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />

Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />

92 93

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