"I Remember" by Katniss

I remember the first time someone left; my dad departed our home in Mexico to America, but not before he promised that everything was going to be ok. In the years that he was gone I felt like it was my fault he left. My sorrow turned to anger and I thought, "who would do that to someone?" I remember seeing my dad after three years and running into his open arms; it was the first time I ever saw my dad cry. Later, I had trouble letting the neighborhood dog leave my house; he was a stray and when my mom discovered him hidden in our barn she sent him away.  After that I only saw him once in awhile, then not at all; I wasn’t surprised because he didn’t stay in the same place for too long. I remember when my grandpa left on a road trip and never came back; he had pulled over on his way home to rest and at the same time was hit by a drunk driver. My mom never drank; I remember her lecturing my sister and me for countless hours that alcohol was a crime in itself. Eventually, I made a promise that I wouldn’t leave anyone because letting them feel abandoned was something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies. However, I was not able to keep my promise. I remember having to constantly move from place to place, never staying long enough to learn my classmates' last names. My framed photographs would stay in their boxes because we did not stay long enough to call a house a home, so it never felt right to put them up. I remember my elementary school friends and our naïve conversations; we made up our own language thinking we were so slick. We made up games that had no rules and made no sense. Sooner or later I knew I would lose them and I did, but I learned that every end has a new beginning. In my new school and all that followed I made new friends, but I couldn’t help missing my old ones.  I remember hearing that you never really lose something because it stays with you. Still, I feel like it’s not the same compared to being physically with you.