preview

Personal Narrative: Taking Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Decent Essays
Open Document
Growing up was though. The hardest part was learning how to dwell with unpredictability. When I was a kid, it enchanted me. I was fascinated to observe how randomness could yield starry skies, carve underwater caves or compose the most fascinating stories. Still, I wouldn't let uncertainty flow through my veins. I craved for maintaining the status quo on whatever was within my reach. I built LEGO's exactly as the manuals suggested, did group projects my way and only accepted challenges I could handle. As a child, I was afraid to take a leap beyond my safe boundaries. However, I was obligated to flee far away from them.
“Son, you are leaving tomorrow.” My mom stuttered as she sent me to the Uedas' house. As violence was escalating in our neighborhood,…show more content…
The impossibility of controlling the situation frightened me more than the safety issue itself. I lost my floor. During the following year, I stayed with six different hosts. Most of them were my parents' friends from church, whom I barely knew. At the time, I thought I would feel out of place, like a stranger in the nest. I expected to find solitude and saudade...
Saudade. What a meaningful word. This Brazilian term express a feeling that is intrinsic in our tropical souls - missing something and desiring to have it…show more content…
I had learned to live with unpredictability. I found out that it was nonsense trying to have everything under my control. Being ready to embrace life's surprises enabled me to truly seize the company of my hosts and enjoy more intensely the moments I had with my family.
Thus, I realized that if I kept doing things only the way I felt comfortable with, I would not evolve. I decided to abandon this bad habit and forced myself to take steps back. By adopting this behavior, daily life became a learning ground. I realized that the unfounded criticism, blind assurance and Z were actually careful advice, humble inquiry and anti-Z. I had to pass through this turbulent period to have these realizations.
I didn't visit the farm that year. Still, the fire never faded from my mind. I stared at the dancing flames, which now were not only blazes, but also unforgettable moments I had at my foster homes. I felt the cozy heat, yielded not by burning wood but by warm hugs. And I became truly fascinated by the blazing unpredictability - not the sudden sparks that lighted the night , but the uncertainties that made me grow
Get Access
Related
Get Access