How I Constantly Define Myself Through The Failures

Looking back at my younger years, I never realized how I constantly define myself through the failures in my life. â€Å"Police, open the door!† A threatening demand followed by three sharp, horrible booms on the shaky green door to our three bedroom duplex. At that time I was much younger and we were a family of five not seven. We seemed like a put together family; we went to church every Sunday, ate dinners as one on the long wooden dining table, and we even had family reading days. About every other week we would walk to the library and take books home to read to together. Yes it seemed all grand, but perhaps there was something I didn’t know. I was too naive to realize that the monthly late night yells seeping from underneath the creaky†¦show more content†¦She opened the door swiftly revealing two tall bulky police officers behind with erect waist belts which were accentuated by a gun protruding from the sides of their belts. One officer had his hand gripped firmly on his bulging side pocket and the leaned in listening attentively to my mother’s response. Within moments I watched my strong poised mother become weak and desperate on her knees begging for God’s mercy and the mercy of the officers. The o fficers opened up handcuffs, tightened them on his wrists and walked my father out the door. My anxious little heart ran from the top of the steps, afraid of the eventuality that comes after unleashing the cuffs. In all the chaos a persistent wave came over me, clenching my heart, gripping my throat and hindering my speech. â€Å"No! Mm†¦ This int fair!† I screamed inside. My body burned with fury as I turned to one of the officers and asked â€Å"What’s happening?† He looked at me then at my mother and responded, â€Å"Please take your children inside!† in a disgusted tone. My teary eyed siblings and I watched from the top of the front steps as they took him away. The tall, big bellied man lounging in the living room couch watching television a few moments ago was standing restlessly in front of an open police car door. The officers lowered his sweaty shaved head into the car and with his gruff, strong voice he yelled, â€Å"The devil is a liar!† from