On this day…
80 years ago,
my biological father was born.
I didn’t get to meet him,
to share space with him,
to know him at all
and so
there is much I will never understand
about his short life
or how the ripples of his choices
extend through mine.
However, through the truths left to me
by a few in my Mama’s line
who were brave enough to share
and through the kindness of
paternal strangers-turned-kin,
I’ve been gifted pieces of his puzzle
to close a few gaps between
imagination and reality.
Whispers of interests in
herbalism
and film,
music
and writing,
gardening
and creativity
passed down through his lineage
to me.
Resilience and curiosity
in addition to
heartbreak and trauma.
I exist because
he existed
and for that
I am grateful.
Happy Birthday, Michael.
May the stars be your candles tonight ✨
Onward,
Melis
P.S.
If you are curious, more about my NPE journey can be found here —> Moving Pebbles: On Mid-Life & My NPE Experience