Prose

Around this time last year I was trying to apply to the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Part of the application process was to write an essay about a person, event or circumstance I had experienced that had affected my life. That was was about 10 months ago.
After almost finishing my first year of acting school at a community college, I am posting my essay as an event that helped me arrive where I am today.

I used to wonder if one person could make a difference in the world. I knew certain individuals had (there was plenty of evidence for that belief), but personally, I was unsure – until 3 months ago.

It was a normal day. I was home working on this, that and the other. Then I received a phone call from my mother. She said 2 of my 6 brothers, Stephen and Micah, had been in a car accident. I asked if they were okay, and all she said was the family was at the hospital and that I should come. I said of course, right away, but I pressed her to get confirmation that they were okay. She did not give me a definitive reply.

During the 20 minute drive all I wanted to know was if they were okay. When I arrived at the hospital, I parked on the opposite end as I was unfamiliar with the layout or where they were located exactly. When I arrived at the room where they should have been, I did not see my family anywhere. Then I was directed to the room off to the side where they were waiting.

As soon as I walked in the door, I was overwhelmed with the sight and sound of my brother, Samuel, wailing in anguish. My mother was holding him and she looked up at me and said, “Micah didn’t make it.” I crumbled to the floor in shock.

That moment and many of the ones that followed did not seem real. It seemed as though I were watching someone else’s life unfold where tragedy left its mark. With the help of many friends and family members, I stood up.

Micah was not just another person in my life. He was my youngest brother and being homeschooled, we spent a great deal of time together. I was there just a few weeks prior when he passed his driver’s license test, when he completed his final high school mock trial competitions, and when he turned 17 only ten days before the accident. He had been there for me since I was six years old and he turned out to be my sixth brother rather than the sister I so desperately desired.

Then, in a moment, he was gone. Now I know, beyond a reasonable doubt, Micah made a difference in the world. I realized when I greeted the 600 plus people who came to the visitation that his life made a tremendous difference in the world.

I was given the utmost privilege of saying a few words at Micah’s funeral, and I can honestly say that is the most difficult thing I have ever done, but it was the least I could do. His life touched mine a way I cannot put into words, and his absence is an experience I never anticipated. However, through this experience I learned that the things in life that seem important – like being rich and famous, or traveling the world-  really are not all that, and the moments that seem insignificant – like a hug from your brother, or sharing a laugh with a friend - need more appreciation. I understand how the presence of one individual can make all the difference in the world. Someday, I hope I can make that difference in my own unique and profound way.

A.C.