Magical Realism In Beloved - 1787 Words

From early classics like The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to somewhat recent stories like The Haunting of Hill House, it seems that no matter what great works are added to horror as a whole, the genre is never given respect. Consequently, when highly respected works involve horror elements, critics tend to describe these elements as â€Å"magical realism† to the effect of denying that any high-end literary novel could come from the horror genre. In this case Beloved, a magical realism interpretation feels lacking because the title character is different from a fairytale ghost or creature; she is a legitimate threat in the book who should not exist. The entire time Beloved is at 124, Morrison uses the language, syntax, and plot of the†¦show more content†¦Stretching out her arms she tried to circle it around Sethe. Firstly, Morrison draws out Beloved’s entrance in the first paragraph, building up tension before it is revealed to the reader that it is Beloved approaching. For the first three whole clauses of the second sentence, there is no indication that this entrance is for any character readers know. It isn’t until the fourth clause that readers get a strong hint that the figure is Beloved, and the confirmation that it’s Beloved doesn’t even come until the second paragraph. In this way, the belated inclusion of her name almost jolts readers. The pacing feels slow, and the effect is to build tension in the readers gradually for every clause in the second sentence with no real relief until Beloved’s name is mentioned afterward. This use of isolated clauses to create unease is also found when Beloved is entering the house after the events in the clearing: â€Å"Breathing and murmuring, breathing and murmuring, Beloved heard them as soon as the door banged shu t behind her,† (page 118). â€Å"Breathing and murmuring† is just an unusual clause; it puts emphasis on breathing, a normal human action, and it’s repeated twice. The effort Morrison puts into telling us Beloved is breathing makes her seem abnormal, suggesting breathing is not a given for Beloved. Simultaneously, the repetition of murmuring makes her seem unstable because of how murmuring is associated with obsessiveness. Looking at these twoShow MoreRelatedLove and Trauma: Exploring Magical Realism in Toni Morrison ´s Beloved843 Words   |  3 Pagesvariety of literary techniques in the novel Beloved, however, the most dominant technique is that of magical realism. The term magical realism was created in the early twentieth century, originally to describe a new style in German painting, but later applied to Latin American fiction (Faris 1). This technique blends realistic narrative with supernatural elements in such a way the reader does not question the im possibility of these events. Magical realism is used in this novel to enhance three majorRead MoreAnalysis Of Toni Morrison s Beloved920 Words   |  4 Pages1. In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, she takes her audience back to a past where the oppressed (slaves) did not have a voice. How does Beloved compare to other slave narrative, and why is it important? How does memory involve itself within this concept? â€Å"A Different Remembering: Memory, History and Meaning in Beloved† is Marilyn Sanders Mobley’s attempt to distinguish the difference of Morrison’s novel from the established white literary tradition that critics were trying to place it in. Mobley arguesRead More Discovering a Culture through Magical Realism Essay1080 Words   |  5 PagesDiscovering a Culture through Magical Realism      Ã‚   Every culture has a memorable type of literature. When one thinks of English literature, one thinks of William Shakespeare or Charles Dickens. The American writers Thoreau, Clemens, and Emerson bring to mind the days when America was still proving herself to be equal to the European countries. France had her own artists, such as Voltaire and Hugo, as did Spain with Cervantes and Dante. However, when one thinks of Latin America, what writersRead MoreLike Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel1773 Words   |  7 Pagesabout real life. This genre of literature is usually referred to as magical realism. As can be easily understood from the very name, the authors that adhere to it, try to describe real life as it is, with all the positive and negative elements of it; however, in the course of their narration, they may engage various fantastic elements which put emphasis on particular aspects of the story or contribute to its development. Magical realism in Like Water for Chocolat e is an irreplaceable element of the storyRead MoreSupernatural Elements in Like Water for Chocolate and the House of the Spirits1014 Words   |  5 Pagesof the spirits† by Isabel allende, magic realism has been used as a common literary device to give the book a fantasy-like twist, making it very interesting and engaging. Magic realism stretches the boundaries of realism in order to stretch or widen the definition of reality. In Like Water for Chocolate, magic becomes ordinary, admitted, accepted and integrated into the rationality and materiality of literary realism. The first instance of magic realism in Like Water for Chocolate is Tita’s entryRead MoreSupernatural Elements in Like Water for Chocolate and the House of the Spirits1004 Words   |  5 Pagesof the spirits† by Isabel allende, magic realism has been used as a common literary device to give the book a fantasy-like twist, making it very interesting and engaging. Magic realism stretches the boundaries of realism in order to stretch or widen the definition of reality. In Like Water for Chocolate, magic becomes ordinary, admitted, accepted and integrated into the rationality and materiality of literary realism. The first instance of magic realism in Like Water for Chocolate is Tita’s entryRead More Comparing One Hundred Years of Solitude and Bless Me Ultima Essay1675 Words   |  7 Pagesthe wisdom contained within the telling. These ancient methods evolved naturally into the writings of contemporary Latin American authors. The blending of fantasy with reality to evoke a mood or emphasize elements of importance became known as magical realism, and was employed to great effect by Latin authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Rudolfo Anaya, in his work, Bless Me Ultima. Bless Me Ultima introduces Antonio, a young boy caught betweenRead MoreThe Theory, History, and Development of Magical Realism Essay examples3188 Words   |  13 PagesMagical realism is more a literary mode than a distinguishable genre and it aims to seize the paradox of the union of opposites such as time and timelessness, life and death, dream and reality and the pre-colonial past and the post-industrial present. It is characterized by two conflicting perspectives. While accepting the rational view of reality, it also considers the supernatural as a part of reality. The setting in a magical realist text is a normal world with authentic human characters. It isRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Oz And On Kahani 949 Words   |  4 Pagesbeauty in the world. Seeing magical, fantastical worlds not only appeals to their fascination with magic and beauty, but also gives them hope that life might remain beautiful and happy and fair. By making these worlds dreamlands, both Rushdie and the pr oducers of The Wizard of Oz, maintained the sense of wonder that excited children, but made it clear to the adults that they were not trying to present this as the real world. Keeping this distinction clear provides realism without compromising the funRead MoreBone Gap By Laura Ruby Takes Readers On A Journey Of Magic1442 Words   |  6 PagesBone Gap by Laura Ruby takes readers on a journey of magic realism in the small town of Bone Gap, Illinois. This young adult novel features brothers, Sean and Finn O’Sullivan, as they struggle through feelings of rejection and loneliness due to continuous abandonment. When the beloved Roza mysteriously disappears, it only adds to the previous loss of their father and desertion of their mother. As the novel progresses, the line between reality and fantasy blurs while a determined Finn strives to find

Media Portrayal Of The Mental Illnesses Schizophrenia

Media portrayal of the mental illnesses schizophrenia are damaging not only to individuals with schizophrenia, but also ‘normal’ people such as the families of those who are schizophrenic. The media portrays schizophrenia sufferers as violent peoples who will harm given the opportunity, and as such, should not be trusted and should be approached with caution. These portrayals are incorrect, There are multiple examples of the media’s negative depiction of schizophrenia. One such example is the case of Vince Weiguang Li. Li, a paranoid schizophrenic, believed that he was hearing the voice of God, telling him that a man next to him on the bus, Tim McLean, was an alien that would kill Li and others if he was not killed immediately (â€Å"Canada Cannibal†, 2008). Li then stabbed McLean, decapitated him and removed his internal organs, and remained on the bus during a 3 hour police standoff (â€Å"Canada Cannibal†, 2008), before being subdued by police. In the article â€Å"Canada Cannibal† (2008), Li is identified as a paranoid schizophrenic at the start of the second paragraph, immediately after graphic descriptions of the McLean incident, therefore causing the reader to associate the violence described with schizophrenia. Another example of this is the article â€Å"Daughter Suffering Schizophrenia Charged With Killing Mum† (Marcus, 2013) , where schizophrenia is directly connected with violence, in this case, murder. By including the fact that the daughter is schizophrenic in the title of theShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Me, Myself, and Irene1178 Words   |  5 Pages Most people gather what they know about mental illnesses from television and film. Unfortunately these media portrayals are inaccurate and create stigma. They depict people suffering from mental illnesses as different, dangerous and laughable. Characters are often addicted to drugs or alcohol, are violent, dangerous, or out of control. Horror film characters like Norman Bates in Psycho, Jack Torrance in the Shining, or Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs associate the typical psycho- killerRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Public Perception Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesThese beliefs stem from the media and how Hollywood portrays fictional characters with mental illnesses. At which point there seems to be a common misunderstanding towards individuals suffering from a mental illness. When it comes to people suffering with mental health, doctors, schools, and everything in between seem to have either a positive or negative outlook on the subject. The stereotypes and misinformati on of mental illnesses can lead to a delay in seeking medical help. The media’s influenceRead MoreEssay Media Madness1389 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction With the ongoing advance in technology today, it is no surprise that the media is becoming an even greater source in acquiring and sharing information. But exactly how accurate are these reported information? As mentioned in Otto Wahl’s, Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness, Americans tend to retrieve most their knowledge about mental illness through the mass media (Wahl 3). When it comes to mental illness, it is safe to say that much of society views the mentally ill as deviantsRead MoreMental Illness And Its Stigma1363 Words   |  6 PagesMental Illness and Its Stigma â€Å"One in five adults in America experience mental illness,† (Mental Health, n.d., para 1). Many people define mental illness as a characteristic that makes one irrational or delusional and derives a belief that those who have mental disorders are not suffering from a real disease, resulting in a negative view of those who suffer. There are three ways to defy this stigma that everyone, from media producers to the sufferers themselves, must participate in to break downRead MoreThe Portrayal Of Schizophreni A Beautiful Mind And The Realities Of The Illness1089 Words   |  5 PagesThe Portrayal of Schizophrenia In A Beautiful Mind and The Realities of The Illness In the movie A Beautiful Mind, Russell Crow performs the part of a schizophrenic. Mental illnesses possess a negative connotation in society. The illness schizophrenia is not rare, but is not completely understood yet. The portrayal of this mental illness in A Beautiful Mind is not correct, but it is not wrong either. Hollywood tends to exaggerate situations, but they also depict a few of schizophrenia’s symptomsRead MoreSarah and Angela The Many Misconceptions and Misunderstandings of Schizophrenia Misunderstood with1200 Words   |  5 PagesMisunderstandings of Schizophrenia Misunderstood with the assistance of popular stigmas and stereotypes, schizophrenia and its severity is often degraded and overlooked by the public. Wrongly feared and shunned, individuals with schizophrenia have too commonly been judged throughout human history and even today. Many aspects of the disease are failed to be truly understood and represented, from the effects of the disease to the availability of treatment. Favored by the media, incorrect and misleadingRead MoreThe Effects Of Mental Illnesses On Children s Media1371 Words   |  6 PagesMental illnesses are constantly portrayed negatively throughout today’s media. Even with recent research, media chooses to only give information about the negative events mentally ill patients are associated in. Today’s media mocks mental illnesses in children’s television shows and it has negative effects on the children who are exposed to this. Psychologists and other doctors are making an effort to change the vie ws the media portrays to the public. These efforts are being fought against becauseRead MoreThere Has Been An Increase In The Proportion Of Persons Who Associate Mental Illness With Dangerousness1675 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Ã¢â‚¬Å"There has been an increase in the proportion of persons who associate mental illness with dangerousness, violence, and unpredictability† (Markowitz, 2005: 3) With reference to this statement, what is the public understanding of the nature and extent of mental disorder and how accurate is this? Intro This essay will look at the public understanding of the nature of mental disorder and to what extent it is associated with dangerousness and violence. The essay will begin by exploring the public’sRead MoreThe Rise Of Mental Illness Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pages The rise of mental illness is upon us, but this is nothing new. We have become exposed to different illnesses in the media, particularly films. No one bats an eye at the validity of a teenager being diagnosed with brain cancer, but people refuse to accept their family member having a mental disorder. Popular culture tends to associate persons with mental disorders as â€Å"crazy† and â€Å"dangerous†, and we accept these characteristics and do not question them. This becomes dangerous when judges or jurorsRead MoreIntroduction.... â€Å"If Mental Illness Could Be Seen On A1255 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction... â€Å"If mental illness could be seen on a sufferer maybe society wouldn’t say ‘just get over it’ .† Mental illness unlike other diseases or disorders are, for the most part invisible. They are not easily recognised. These instances of being told to â€Å"just get over it† or â€Å"just calm down† or â€Å"It’s all in your head† are direct evidence of the stigma of having mental illness present in some cultures. A mental illness is in fact in your head, but your head is connected to body, they are

An End Stage Lung Disease - 1534 Words

This case is about 55 years old Mrs. Celeste with an end-stage lung disease. Currently, she is unconscious and is under aggressive life support. The health care team feels that she will not be able to be off of the ventilator, and that she had actually, although there is no proof, told the physician that she did not want to be on life support if there were no other choices. Since Mrs. Celeste did not assign anyone to hold her power of attorney, the doctors turn to her four children. Three of the children are religious and believe that a miracle is possible, and that she should not be taken off of life support, and she should be left as she is. One of her children, who is different from the other three, believes that her mother should be taken off of life support and should be left to die comfortably. In this paper, I will first state my stance as to why Mrs. Celeste should be taken off of life support using ethical concepts. I will then debate about possible counterarguments, and exp lain any sociological concept related to this case. I will conclude with how this case should be handled and, how it could be applied to related cases. In this case, the physicians have conflicts of interests. Conflict of interest is the act of trying to serve two different sides (King et al., 2005). The physicians are trying to respect Mrs. Celeste’s choice and also trying to respect the family’s religious beliefs. The wish of Mrs. Celeste is the opposite of what the family wants. Family wantsShow MoreRelatedChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( Copd )1535 Words   |  7 PagesRose Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Do you know what the third leading cause of death is among Americans? That’s right, it is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, which is an overall heading used to cover several conditions, all of which are characterized by blockage of air from the lungs, resulting in increasing breathlessness. The two main diseases that fall into this category are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. According to the American Lung Association, COPD affects the livesRead MoreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Better Known As Copd Essay1367 Words   |  6 PagesChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease better known as COPD is a term used to describe progressive lung diseases which includes the following: emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis. Mainly caused from toxins in cigarette smoke. Other causes being air pollutants, chemicals fumes, and dust from work environments. COPD is the fourth most common cause of death in the Un ited States. COPD has four stages of progression with no viable cure. TheRead MoreCopd : Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease1179 Words   |  5 PagesCOPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is one of the most common lung diseases. Thousands of people are diagnosed every year, and it recently moved up to the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S., behind heart disease and cancer. This paper will discuss disease pathology, the most common and recently discovered diagnostic tests, as well as treatment options. It will also address end of life care. COPD is a multi-system and multi-symptom disease. This means that it attacks the respiratoryRead MoreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( Copd )1059 Words   |  5 Pages Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Eduardo Martinez Kaplan College Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology RSP 120 Bruce Kennedy MHA, RRT January 1, 2016 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States. â€Å"COPD affects over 24 million Americans and our community stretches across all 50 states.† (COPD Foundation, 2016, p. 1). In this paper we will go over the main causes of COPD, what is emphysemaRead MoreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( Copd )990 Words   |  4 Pagesalive, but there are diseases that can hinder us from breathing properly. A disease on the rise and one of the top three leading causes of death in America is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) it is the third leading cause of death in America, claiming the lives of 134,676 Americans in 2010 alone. In 2011, an estimated 10.1 million Americans reported a physician diagnosis of chronic bronchitis. (COPD Statistics across America, 2015). COPD is a very serious disease that is claiming theRead MoreThe Anatomy Of The Lungs1366 Words   |  6 PagesCancer of the lungs takes more lives every yea r than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined. In order to prevent these statistics from happening, Low-dose Computed Tomography Scans (LDCT Scans) can be used to prevent the cancer cells from spreading. Medicare and Medicaid are willing to pay for such screenings for those who are 55-77 years of age and who have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for over 30 years or those who are smoking currently within that age group. The cost for such screeningsRead MoreCritically Based Teaching Assignment - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesEvidenced Based Teaching Assignment – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment To assess how much the group already knew about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD, we started by opening a discussion about the disease. This way we found out the most of the audience had very little prior knowledge of the condition, but they were eager to learn more. The group had a positive attitude and seemed to value health and learning more about how their community could improve the healthRead MoreProtective Ventilation And Lung Transplantation Surgery1602 Words   |  7 PagesVentilation in Lung Transplantation Surgery Providing anesthesia for lung transplantation (LT) is considered by many to be a major feat in cardiothoracic anesthesia. Some say it involves the most complex manipulation of cardiothoracic physiology, especially when cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is not used. Indications for LT include 4 primary diagnostic groupings of end-stage pulmonary disease: (1) obstructive lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); (2) restrictive lung disease (idiopathicRead MoreProviding Anesthesia For Lung Transplantation1538 Words   |  7 PagesProviding anesthesia for lung transplantation (LT) is considered by many to be a major feat in cardiothoracic anesthesia. Some say it involves the most complex manipulation of cardiothoracic physiology, especially when cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is not used. There are many indications for end-stage pulmonary disease, from obstructive lung disease to pulmonary vascular disease. Traditionally, ventilation strategies for this population included tidal volumes of 8-12ml/kg to prevent atelectasis andRead MoreWhat Is Black Lung Disease?1153 Words   |  5 PagesStudy II What is Black Lung Disease? If you travel on the turnpike starting in Philadelphia and go west towards the Oregon Coast you could pass through the 10 states that account for 90 percent of the country s coal reserves; Wyoming, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Montana, Kentucky, Ohio, Colorado, Texas and Indiana. Of these 10 states four stand out as having the highest concentration of Black Lung Disease. 61.5 – 80.0 percent of the cases of this disease occur in; West Virginia

Losing My Brother Essay Example For Students

Losing My Brother Essay On March 10th, 2012, my life changed forever. This was and continues to be the worst day of my life. If youve ever lost someone you loved, you will know that this pain is indescribable. For me, losing my brother almost three years ago still saddens me. Maybe it always will, maybe I will never get over losing someone so special. In life, things happen to the people you love and care about beyond our own understandings, but the truth is I havent gotten closure, we literally lost an angel. Losing someone is hard to accept, remembering him is easy, I do it every day. But missing him is the heartache that will never go away. Quite honestly Im not sure how Ive made it this far in life without my brother here with me. Only God knows how much I miss him and would do anything to have him back here with me. My brother, Scott, was twenty years old when he overdosed. He was my big brother, my best friend and my right hand, and then he found pills, and I was no longer number one in his life. As a kid we did everything together, I wanted to be just like him. If I was sad, he was the shoulder I was crying on. If a boy broke my heart, he would ask â€Å"where is he? Whenever things got too tough for me to handle, he’d handle it for me. We went through everything together. He was always there to push me little harder, to laugh with me, and shut me up when my big mouth would get me in trouble. I had no memory of a life without him. I couldnt have asked for a better relationship with a sibling, and I’m saddened by those who take for granted that special bond. It all started because our parents lost us to the system and we were placed in foster care. We bounced from home to home. We slowly began to stay in and out of trouble. Living in foster care was the furthest thing from easy, it was hard to cope meeting a new family and living with strangers every month or so. Imagine feeling not wanted, alone, and scared. After losing me to jail time, he completely lost it. He couldn’t take it anymore. For him, he would never get over that pain. Eventually he went down a rocky road where he was introduced to a friend that would always keep him company and never let him feel the pain he pushed down so deep. That friend was pills, from Oxycodone to hydrocodone. The pain was unbearable. He tried to hide his addiction, but that only lasted so long. Eventually we found out. He tried to reach out for help but no one ever realized his addiction was so strong. With his brain so clouded on Xanax he wasnt even a person anymore and he sure wasnt my big brother that I needed so desperately. I live with the guilt of being in jail and not getting him help in the months leading to his death. I told him he had to choose between the drugs or his family, and as much as he wanted to choose family, his demons won in the end at house party where no one cared. One mistake took him away from me, one stupid mistake. While I was sitting in a jail cell from my dumb mistakes, my brother who meant everything, took his last breath. Alone. I wish I had the opportunity to tell him how much I loved him. People say that it gets easier with time, but I just think that you learn to live with grief. It’s been almost three years since we lost him and my god it’s been hard, I miss him so much. I feel envious of those who were at the house party where he overdosed that still have their big brother to protect them from this cruel world. Im sad that my niece has no father. I feel totally robbed of so many things. Things should have been so different for him. .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a , .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .postImageUrl , .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a , .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:hover , .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:visited , .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:active { border:0!important; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:active , .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uabb54f945b4a71b2f4249e85cf10688a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Cameron Auto Parts EssayMy brother was funny and handsome; he was so gentle and had this huge heart and love for those smaller and in need. My one and only big brother, my hero, and my childhood best friend. It is so hard to get up in the morning knowing I will never see him again. I never thought for a second forever would come to an end. I just always knew that there would be another conversation, another chance to say I love you; I was for sure that tomorrow would always come. I never pictured life without him. And it hurts to realize that another memory won’t be created, another laugh won’t be shared, and another moment wont be made. It’s like how do I say goodbye to yesterday when everything I have to hold on to about him, lives there. And honestly waking up sometimes is bittersweet for me because everything seems normal. Until I open my eyes and realize it was just a dream. I still live in regret thinking I could have been there more, thinking I should have called more, thinking I should have prayed for him more. I regret ignoring all those silent cries that he showed me. I think to myself, how can it be so easy to express how much you love somebody once they are no longer here? Why didnt I make more of an effort to give him the roses while he could still smell them? These thoughts were killing me, until I realized something. Until I realized this isn’t how he would want to be remembered, this isn’t how he would want our relationship to be remembered. He was too much of a happy soul to want anybody to live in regret and grief forever. He would want a celebration of his life because he believed that death wasn’t the end. He would want me to keep his legacy alive by giving the world something that he taught me, believed in or stood for. I can hear him saying it now, â€Å"Tia it’s not your job to understand Gods plan, but it is your job to trust it; even when it hurts to do so† and just thinking about that keeps me strong. Doing something in his memory makes me feel closer to him than I ever felt. It’s like I can see his presence, like he’s more alive to me than he has ever been. He taught me three things that I want people to hold onto once I’m gone. Number one is John 3:16. Number two is never live in regret but appreciation. And number three dont pass away with him, but keep what he believed in alive through you. My brother came, saw, and conquered in his lifetime. I can only hope to be as significant as he is. I also try to remember that he’s free now; free from pain and sorrow because that’s something he always wanted. Days when I feel more down than usual, I look up to the sky and talk to him because that’s exactly what Id want him to do. What I wouldn’t give to hear him talk back. I miss his voice, his laughter, I miss everything about him. The lesson I learned the hard way from all this was you never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory, so learn to appreciate it all. I have learned to try and make the best of everything, be humble and make a commitment to inspire the uninspired because it’s arrogant to believe the next seconds of life belong to you. Throughout this lesson in my life I have learned that God will take you through places you dont understand just to bring you to the place where he wants you to be; trust him! Sometimes our lives have to be completely shaken up; changed and rearranged to relocate us to place we’re meant to be. I have also learned that no matter what anyone in life says; time doesnt make anything easier. Losing him was and still is the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with.