As you walk into a house you see tons of pictures, one picture seems to stand out more than the rest, why? You start to gaze noticing the frame that is different from the rest. A dark stained, wood, metal frame with a colorful photo that is bent at the corners. The glass has a spider web crack in the bottom right corner. Everything about the photo is damaged, however, as you stare into the picture trying to see through all the damage you see a happy family. A mom, dad, son, and daughter. They all look so happy smiling from ear to ear.

The year was 2011 it was a bright sunny day when I got the worst news. I hear my mother shout from the bottom of the stairs “ Kids come down to the living room your father and I have something to tell you!” you suddenly hear footsteps rumbling down the stairs as we all try to race each other into the room. The room is quiet and still, you see my parents eyes filling with tears as they tell us “we are getting a divorce.” My eyes widen, pupils dilate, skin starts to fade into a pale white as if I'm a ghost. I try not to cry, however, my eyes fill with tears as they slowly drip down my face creating rivers on both sides of my checks.

The house is now still. I start to zoom in on every detail. As I walk across the floor I feel the soft carpet below my feet I keep walking getting a shooting pain of cold as I enter my kitchen. My whole body is numb. I can't move, talk, nothing I'm stuck. My hair sways side to side and my eyes immediately glance over at the windows and notice that they are cracked open just the perfect amount to allow air to fill the house. I take a deep breath in smelling the red roses that are laying on my moonless black granite countertops. I slowly start to move my way around the house, pure white walls strike the corners of my eyes as I make my way up the 13 steps.

As the hours go by and as days turn into weeks things slowly go back to normal. However, there is still a piece of emptiness that is missing. Now when I walk through a glass half full house I fix my eyes on all empty space that I now endure. Emotions pace through my brain as memories start to flash before my eyes. I say to myself “why couldn’t I stop this? Did I do something wrong?” so many questions that I want answers to. I may not be able to get those answers that I need, however, a simple picture gives me all answers that I need. Now as I look at the damaged picture frame every crack, every wrinkle represents everything I have overcome.

A picture can be so simple however, it can be worth a thousand words. I was in the Fourth Grade when my parents split up. I thought that it was the worst thing to ever happen to me, but I realized that it was the best. I had to grow up earlier than I was supposed to but now I look bad and I’m glad. I Carry this to remind me of the anger and sadness that this put on me; it also was a reminder to show how much I’ve grown. Growing up without 2 parents is difficult, it seems as if you are growing up with none. The picture may be damaged however, a simple glimpse can tell you a whole story.