I said, hey sawbones, I'm just carrying on an ole family tradition...

"To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul."

- Simone Weil

From my maternal grandmother, my self-deprecating attitude, my desire for peace, my love of laughter, and my worrying soul.

From my paternal grandmother, my independent spirit, my passion, and my scattered mind.

From my father, my sensitivity to the way others view me, my stubborn nature, my struggle with dark emotions, and my black and white view of the world.

From my mother, my love for all things "home," my tendency to feel my way through the world, my attraction to shitty men, and my empathy.

You have made me who I am. You gave me both your demons and your strength. Some parts I don't understand, and others seem perfectly natural.

I see the world the way I do because of you.

I am you.

Update: It's probably a little too late for this, but I showed this to my mom, and she would like me to clarify that my step dad, Rocco, is not a shitty man. She's right. He is a very good man. I was referring to my dad.