Auntie

My auntie and I weren’t the closest growing up. However, when I needed her the most, she showed up and showed out, literally, after my release from jail. She loaned me money to help me leave Utah, where I was stuck with an empty bank account and a towed car. She offered nothing but support, coming in with grace, understanding, and advice. She tried to understand the situation, how it occurred, and how she could help me get out of it. Throughout my journey of rebirth and survival, she kept telling me, “Everything’s going to be OK. You’re going to be fine.”

As a trauma specialist, I usually don’t like that response because, while it is positive, when people are crying about their troubles, they don’t want to hear that everything is going to be OK—they just want the pain to stop. Regardless, I love her so much for all the financial support, the abundant phone conversations, and just listening to me vent. She is my favorite and the best auntie.

As I embark on this new journey in my life, this is the time when I needed her the most, and she was there. She never turned away, unlike some other people we’re related to. I digress, but I love her deeply.