I’m from the yelling and shouting,
the screaming,
punching,
sadness,
distress,
the alcoholic father
with anger issues.

I am from a family of arguing and fighting,
struggling through the verbal and physical abuse,
from “Don’t make Grandpa take off his belt”
and “I don’t want to hear about it unless the bone is sticking through the skin.”

I am from those days that I don’t want to get out of bed,
good days,
bad days,
happy days,
and sad days.

I am from many different homes,
whether it was that old, loud apartment building where babies were constantly screaming,
to that duplex where I met my lifelong best friend.
I am from my parents home,
from Neenah,
Menasha,
Appleton,
Little Chute,
and Oshkosh.

I am from the outdoors,
the deep woods of White Lake, Wisconsin,
riding the four-wheeler aimlessly,
enjoying everything,
the sights of the land,
the beautiful trees and animals.
the smells of the fresh up north air,
to the sounds of trees being cut down and birds screeching.
I am from that cul-de-sac blacktop road,
where I constantly road my bike in circles,
imagining I was in a distant land,
happy as can be,
the center was my throne,
I was the almighty King that everybody bowed down to.

I am from Sesame Street,
where Big Bird, and the blue Cookie Monster were my heroes.
From Paula and Jeremy,
to brat and cheeseburger cookouts in the backyard.
From movies with the family,
and late night bowls of ice cream.

I’ve gone from skipping school,
to doing illegal activities,
as well as sneaking girls in late at night,
to losing my parents’ complete trust.
I now have done a complete one-eighty,
so that I was able to set myself on the right track.
I am change in itself.

I am a big brother with
a nine year old brother,
a four year old half-brother,
a fourteen year old step-brother,
and a three-year old half-sister

My family is my life,
Without them I would not be who I am today.
Without them I would be lost,
because they would not be here to guide me,
or help me continue on the path that I am on.
Without them I could not be successful in life because
to be without them there truly is no point to be.
My family is my life, for
I am me.