Grandmother and André

Memories of Childhood

This is my mother's mother holding my little brother André, who died of grand mal seizures when he was five years old. My mother went into a depression after he passed away, and my Psycho Dad destroyed most of the pictures of André in a  fit of bad temper.  The paternal unit could never admit to producing such a "defective child" and didn't like any reminders.  This is what my mother told me about it later.  Mother was calm and not someone who resorted to hyperbole.

Mother was able to salvage this picture, one of two that exist of my brother.

There's nothing quite like living with a completely out of control male adult to make you hyper aware of your surroundings at all time. Celéste was one year old at the time that that André passed away.

My grandmother died in the same year as my little brother. So now I'm understanding much more about my own early life knowing what was going on with the adults around me at the time.

To youngsters and young adults out there going through hell, I'd like you to know that you can grow up and have a happy life if you can manage to forgive, and get the maniacs out of your life in time if they still haven't managed to become decent human beings. Leave but tell them why. Even if you think they don't deserve a word. That's my advice, because it leaves no questions in your OWN mind that you did all you could. You can forget, once you forgive, and let their influence fade out of your life. You can become a truly happy person.