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Never Forget YouBy Evelyn Gutierrez My photograph was taken at Calvary Cemetery, and as you can see, there is a plaque. This plaque belongs to my oldest brother, Ricky Jonathan Aranda, rest in peace. I chose this photograph because it shows how in the Mexican culture, family is always important. In this photograph, my other brother is cleaning our older brother's plaque. In the corners of the plaque, there are two white doves holding a ribbon that says, "Nuestro Querido Hijo," our lovely son. There are also flowers in front of the grave, which gives it color. His grave is never without flowers. Every Thursday of the week, my family and I take flowers to my brother's grave. Not only do we go and take flowers, but we also spend time there cleaning his plaque and just being around it. To us, it's a nice way of having him with us even though he isn't here physically. My brother passed away about fourteen years ago, when he was only nine. It all began one day when my parents noticed a spider bite on his leg. So they took him to the doctor, and there, the doctor popped the blister he had, and pus came out of it. That is when they detected that he had leukemia. All this was difficult for my parents because, at that time, they also had to take care of my other brother and me. My mom spent most of the time at the hospital, while my brother and I spent time with my aunt. Many family members helped out with my brother and me while my mom was at the hospital with my older brother, making sure he did well with his chemotherapy. My older brother and I weren't aware of what was happening because we were just kids at the time. My brother was only four, and I was only two. For my brother and me, taking Ricky flowers is a form of showing him we miss him and wish he was here with us. It gives us a good feeling when we take flowers to him. |
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There are times when we forget to take him flowers, but when we do go again, we take him double the flowers. In many Mexican families, not just mine, people care about their family in many ways. Not only do we take flowers to the cemetery, but we also gather as a family. We enjoy ourselves together and talk about things. In Mexican culture, families mean everything. People will do anything for their own people, no matter what the situation is. Family always comes first. In my photograph, the lighting is directed to the plaque and the flowers, the main points of interest in the image. The picture consists of darks and lights, which convey sad but happy tones. |