The Better Aldo Burrows

    By Storybird

    The Better Aldo Burrows cover image

    29 Nov, 2023

    a boy standing in front of a small house in a garden with a bird flying overhead and a bird flying overhead

    I, Aldo J. Burrows, or A.J. as I preferred, was raised by my grandmother. After losing my siblings, Lincoln, Michael, and Sara when I was ten, life had been a constant struggle of finding normalcy.

    a couple of people sitting on top of a bed next to a suitcase and a bottle of alcohol on a table

    My parents, Cristina and Aldo Burrows, were absent for most of my life. They had always promised to visit, but they never did. Their absence was a void that couldn't be filled.

    a group of girls sitting at a desk in a classroom with books and papers on it, and one girl holding a book

    One day, as I walked into my classroom, I saw two new teachers. As they turned around to greet us, I was taken aback. It was my parents.

    a man and two children standing in front of a table with books and a bookcase on it, with a man in a suit and woman in a dress shirt and tie

    Dad introduced himself as Mr. Burrows, or Mr. B, and mom as the new principal, Mrs. Burrows. I stood up, laughed, and called them my absentee parents.

    a group of people sitting at a table with books and pencils in front of them and a chalkboard in the background

    The class laughed along, finding humor in the bitter reality. But, for the first time, I felt a sense of belonging with my parents around.

    a group of children sitting at a table with books and papers on it, looking at a laptop computer

    A month later, Mom called me to her office. Inside the office, I noticed three figures. As they turned around, I was shocked. It was Lincoln, Michael, and Sara.

    a man standing over a group of children at a table with books and a cup of coffee on it

    We spent a week together, filling the void that had been there for years. But the next day, I woke up and realized it was all a dream.

    a man and two children sitting at a table with a book and cup of coffee in front of them

    However, my parents being my teachers wasn't a dream. They were really there. I could still feel the warmth of their presence.

    a group of people sitting at a table with books and papers in front of them, with a man writing

    That morning, I went to mom's office and asked her if she could get me a therapist. Gran thought I was being a baby, but I knew I needed help.

    a woman and a boy sitting at a desk in front of a book and a book with a pencil

    Mom asked if I felt okay to go to class. I nodded and went to my class. As I entered, I announced, "The better Aldo Burrows has arrived".

    a boy standing on a cliff with a mountain in the background and a sky with clouds above him, with a mountain in the background

    And I meant it. It was the first step towards healing, towards becoming the person I wanted to be. I was ready to face the world as the better Aldo Burrows.

    a family of four standing in front of a desk with a book and a cup of coffee on it

    Over the next few months, I worked on myself. With my parents' support and therapy, I began to see things in a new light. I learned to cope with my grief.

    a family sitting on a couch in a living room with a window behind them and a painting of a boy and girl

    My relationship with my parents improved. I started to understand them better and they began to understand me. We had been strangers for so long, but not anymore.

    a couple of kids standing next to each other in a forest with trees and flowers behind them and a boy with his arm around the shoulders

    I began to accept the loss of my siblings. I cherished the dream I had of them, and kept it close to my heart. It was a memory, a reminder of their love.

    a boy with a backpack is walking through a forest with trees and plants on the ground and a trail

    The better Aldo Burrows had indeed arrived. And he was here to stay. I had a long way to go, but I was ready to face the challenges that came my way.

    a man and two children sitting on a couch in a living room with a potted plant in the background

    No matter how hard life got, I knew I had my parents by my side. And that was enough. Enough to keep going, enough to keep fighting.

    a boy standing in front of a mirror in a room with a plant in it and another boy standing in front of a mirror

    I was not just Aldo Burrows anymore. I was the better Aldo Burrows. And I was proud of the person I had become.

    a boy sitting on a rock in the woods looking at a phone in his hand and a stream running through the woods

    I learned that it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to feel pain. And it's okay to take time to heal. We all have our own pace and that's perfectly fine.

    a boy standing in the middle of a forest with a light shining through the trees on his face and a green jacket on

    My journey of self-discovery and healing taught me the importance of resilience. It showed me that even in the darkest times, there's always a ray of hope.

    a boy standing in the middle of a street with a backpack on his shoulder and a car parked in the background

    I, Aldo J. Burrows, was not just a survivor. I was a fighter. And I would continue to fight, for myself and for those who were no longer with me.

    a boy standing on a dirt road in front of a green field and a tree with a blue sky in the background

    I was ready to embrace life with all its ups and downs. I was ready to face whatever came my way. Because I knew I was strong enough to handle it.

    a boy in a blue shirt is standing in a alley way with a blue ball in his hand and a blue ball in his hand

    I was no longer the Aldo Burrows who walked into that classroom that day. I was better. I was stronger. I was the better Aldo Burrows.

    a man standing in front of a classroom full of children with books on the desks and a teacher

    As I walk into the classroom now, I don't see my parents as teachers. I see them as my pillars of strength. I see them as my guiding light.

    a boy sitting in a chair in a room with a desk and a window in it and a clock on the wall

    And as I sit in my chair, I don't see it as a symbol of my past. I see it as a stepping stone towards my future. A future full of possibilities.

    a girl standing in front of a stream in the woods with her hands together and looking up at the sky

    I carry the memories of Lincoln, Michael, and Sara with me. Not as a burden, but as a source of strength. I carry them in my heart, always.

    a boy sitting on a rock in the middle of a forest with mountains in the background and a sky with clouds

    My journey hasn't been easy. But it's been worth it. Because it made me who I am today. And for that, I am grateful.

    a boy with a backpack standing in a destroyed area with a building in the background and a sky with clouds

    I am Aldo J. Burrows. I am a survivor. I am a fighter. And most importantly, I am the better Aldo Burrows.

    two young boys standing in a messy bathroom with a mirror and a sink in the background, with a messy room with a messy floor

    And as I look into the mirror every day, I see the reflection of a boy who faced his demons and came out stronger. A boy who didn't give up, no matter what.

    a boy standing on a sidewalk in a cartoon style with a blue shirt and black shorts and a blue tennis shoe

    I see a boy who turned his pain into strength, his grief into resilience, and his past into a stepping stone for a brighter future. I see the better Aldo Burrows.

    a family of three walking down a hallway together in a house with a blue curtain and a window behind them

    And as I continue my journey, I carry this strength with me. I carry the love of my siblings, the support of my parents, and the lessons I've learned.

    a boy standing in the middle of a puddle in a city with buildings in the background and a person standing on the other side of the puddle

    Because I am Aldo J. Burrows. I am the better Aldo Burrows. And I am ready to face whatever comes my way.

    a family of four standing in front of a cityscape with skyscrapers in the background and a man in a suit and tie

    And as I step out into the world, I know I am not alone. I have my family by my side. And together, we are ready to face whatever life throws at us.

    a boy and a girl standing in front of a desk with books and a book case on it, and a boy in a suit and tie

    Because we are Burrows. We are survivors. We are fighters. And most importantly, we are family. And that's all that matters.

    a boy sitting at a table with a piece of cake in front of him and a book in front of him

    So, here's to the better Aldo Burrows. Here's to the journey that made him who he is. And here's to the brighter future that awaits him.

    a boy in a blue shirt is walking down a street with a backpack on his shoulder and a building in the background

    Because no matter what, Aldo J. Burrows will always rise. He will always fight. And he will always be the better Aldo Burrows.

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