Home sweet home

Gather 'round everybody it's story time. This tale goes back to a time when things werent all smiles and jokes. Me n my mom were living w/grandma in Manhattan. I was too young to understand what the real issue was, and I'd never ask till this day. But from what my young mind put together, grandma wanted us out n she wasnt gunna be nice about it. She had made up these notices about fake complaints from us being there, all just a part of the cheap ploy to get us out of course. Young as I was, the details are kind of fuzzy. But I remember clearly the day we were kicked out. How could i forget the insults, screaming, anger, and even grandmas porcelain figures flying across the living room, shattering on the floor just inches from my feet. We went from living in the projects for years, to living on the streets in just one day. No home, no direction. Just a mother and her child. We stood in a hotel in jersey for a couple nights at first but how long could that last? A couple days later there we were. Back on the street. I remember us going to the homeless shelter in the Bronx. No beds, just cold benches to sleep on. My mother never slept tho. She was up all night, making sure nothing happened, and that nobody tried to take our belongings. Bless her heart. Idk how she did it. Guess its those maternal instincts kicking in. Either way, she was all I had. My bro was living with his father at the time. I grew up fatherless so I never had that option. We moved on tho, shelter to shelter. Bench to bench. Check up after checkup. Till we were finally put in a temp home. The first break we had. Even that place had mice and roaches. It seemed like we were never gunna come out on top. We were a family at a disadvantage. That's how things remained for a long while also. I know, they always say to forgive and forget, but that doesn't apply this time. Grandma, I love you. Unconditionally. But I don't know if I can ever fully forgive. As for forgetting, that won't be easy either. I seen a lot as a child. I learned a lot also. Out of every negative comes a positive. I appreciate everything I have now. Our apartment now looks like we just moved in. We've been here 7 yrs. I honestly don't care how unfurnished this place is, it is where I can sleep, I can feel safe, and where I can call home. I'm typing this from my bed right now, a bed I'm thankful for. Underneath a roof I'll never take for granted. Excitement for me is not about "oh cool dad brought home an HDTV!" it's more like "rents paid and the bills r gone" It's the little things that people don't understand. The things people grow accustomed to that they've had their whole life. We should all stop appreciating the new things we obtain, and take a look at all the older things we are lucky we've never lost... take a second look at where u live. And be glad that u have the ability to do so. Others don't grow up as fortunate...