On this day…

80 years ago,

my biological father was born.

I didn’t get to meet him,

to share space with him,

to know him at all

and so

there is much I will never understand

about his short life

or how the ripples of his choices

extend through mine.

However, through the truths left to me

by a few in my Mama’s line

who were brave enough to share

and through the kindness of

paternal strangers-turned-kin,

I’ve been gifted pieces of his puzzle

to close a few gaps between

imagination and reality.

Whispers of interests in

herbalism

and film,

music

and writing,

gardening

and creativity

passed down through his lineage

to me.

Resilience and curiosity

in addition to

heartbreak and trauma.

I exist because

he existed

and for that

I am grateful.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

May the stars be your candles tonight ✨

Onward,

Melis

P.S.

If you are curious, more about my NPE journey can be found here —> Moving Pebbles: On Mid-Life & My NPE Experience