The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Naaysha Lerick
Hanna Shibles, Teacher
Mother Caroline Academy, Dorchester, MA
Have you ever felt angry because of the relationship you have with a family
member? Well I have, and I’m going to explain how I was courageous when
I saw my father at church the day that I sang, after not seeing him for three
years and four weeks before that! This story is important to me because it
was a time where I was struggling with my emotions about being around my
father. I was courageous because although he was there, I didn’t let that affect
how I sang or how I felt at that time. This event happened on a Saturday
afternoon. I was wearing a yellow dress and beige shoes with a cut out design
in them. It felt like walking on stilts. I smelled like my favorite champagne
toast scented perfume.
That afternoon my cousins Isabelle, Yolephan, and I planned on singing at our
church. Hours before we were scheduled to sing I was already there with my
family when my sister told me that she saw our biological dad there. Mind you,
my mother and father are divorced, meaning I don’t see my father because I
live with my mother. It has always been a fear of mine to sing in front of him
because I never have. Since I didn’t know he was there, I didn’t get to mentally
prepare myself. I really wanted to sing, so I felt as if I had no choice but to stay.
I sat in my seat, and I could feel him staring at me, even though he was with
his new wife. He just kept looking at me, and I was confused by it.
“The lesson here
is that when
something that can
drastically affect
you shows up, you
control how you
respond. This was
my story of how I
showed courage.”
My story is important to me because I didn’t have a dad growing up, but
ended up as a good kid with the help of my mom who raised me to be who
I am today. I learned that I control how I react when he’s around, and that I
am happy and should show that. The lesson here is that when something that
can drastically affect you shows up, you control how you respond. This was
my story of how I showed courage.
Once we were called up to sing, I was really nervous and my heart skipped a
beat. Although I don’t care about his opinion of me, I still don’t like being
around him. The piano started to play, and since I had to sing the highest
note and start the song, I got even more nervous. I started to sing and looked
into the crowd, and once I saw my mom I was able to calm down enough to
start singing. While I was singing, it felt like someone was staring at me with
laser vision. For one second I stopped looking at my mom and looked to my
right. I saw my father. I looked back at my mom and didn’t take my eyes off
her for the rest of the song. I started to sing with no limits on myself. I realized
that it’s my father’s loss that he’s not the one that raised the girl up there,
actually having fun. After singing, I was proud of myself for getting up there.
The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond
Volume XXXI
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