My Personal Hero By: Alexandra Forman

 My Personal Hero 

By: Alexandra Forman

   

    Needless to say, 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride that is forever going downhill. We have all been pushed to our limits and forced to adapt to a new normal. There are many heroes who have helped make this time easier, including healthcare workers and teachers. While I am beyond thankful for what they have done, there is one person who has stuck out to me the most. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know, and I am blessed to call her my cousin.

    My mom is the youngest of five and her sister is the oldest. Due to this my cousin Joann and my mom are only a few years apart in age, and her oldest daughter (my second cousin) is about my age. Like I said before, this year has been a rollercoaster and I am not afraid to admit that I have definitely had my struggles. Whenever I feel like I'm struggling or need an escape from reality, she is kind enough to open up her home and let me stay with her. Her house has become my happy place. The second I walk through the door it feels as though all my problems have gone away. When I'm there I often find myself texting my parents saying "you should expect adoption papers from Joann in the next few days" or "I'm moving in". Needless to say, being my parents only child they do not enjoy receiving these messages.

    While I am beyond thankful for my cousin opening her home to me, what I am most thankful to her for is giving me my best friend. Joann's daughter is a year younger than me and we are closer than ever. With many people in my life I feel as though I can get tired of them after spending days in a row together. My cousins daughter is the only person I never get tired of. She truly is my built in best friend. We spend nights laughing and talking about the dumbest things for hours. When I am at their house I feel at my highest. I am my most confident and out going self. I truly feel my happiest when I am with them. 

    

This year in class we read Beowulf. Beowulf was a hero who risked his life to protect soldiers and people he didn't even know. He took down the enemy, and was completely selfless in doing so. My older cousin Joann is just like this. It doesn't matter what she is going through, she would put herself in danger before ever letting anyone else get hurt. Even if she doesn't know them. She truly is the most generous and caring person I know. Joann has helped me more than she could ever know. This year I was Confirmed, and when you get Confirmed you pick someone to be a second Godmother. I didn't have to think at all about who I wanted to choose, Joann was the one. I remember the day I asked her she cried, and since then my bond with her and my bond with her daughter who is now my God sister became so much stronger. Now whenever we go places she introduces me as her Goddaughter and it makes me feel beyond special.

    All in all, I feel like no matter how hard I try I will never find the words to perfectly describe how much she means to me. Everyone needs a place they feel like they can escape to and be stress free. A weight feels lifted off my shoulders every second I spend in her home. I am grateful to have a happy place and I can't imagine a better place for it to be. I truly don't know what I would do without her. I am so thankful that I have someone in my life I can call my hero.