I grew up a child of divorce, which naturally translated to resentment, frustration, and feelings of instability. I am my mom's only child and have spent the majority of my life living with her in suburban New Jersey. This meant she got the brunt of my wrath. I was your typical angsty, hormonal teenager — quick to judge and tough to please. Our relationship was tumultuous, to say the least. Although it looked different as I grew older, this dynamic stayed the same for the most part.
Then, a global pandemic hit, quickly changing the world we once knew. I heard about people fleeing New York City, going back to their hometowns to bunker down with their families. The prospect of joining the vast majority in a quick flee out of the epicenter crossed my mind, as did the fear of what being locked down with my mom and step-dad would do to our relationship. I forewent their invitation and stayed in my tiny city apartment.
The island of Saint Thomas, USVI is deeply rooted in my family. My Great Grandma Uranie was born and raised there, my Grandma was born and raised there, and my mom went to school there for Kindergarten through 1st grade. After moving to the states, she spent all her summers on the island growing up.
I, on the other hand, have rejected this part of my family history, only choosing to spend small fractions of my time in Saint Thomas. As I’ve gotten older, my time there has become more frequent, thus growing my appreciation and understanding of my heritage and the place my ancestors call home.
This year, from January to February, my mom and I spent time in Saint Thomas at my Great Grandmother’s house. That month was the longest amount of time we have spent together. Just the two of us. For that long. Ever. What could have turned into a disastrous situation, was in actuality a pivotal moment for both of us. Halfway through our trip, I was telling my mom I felt irresponsible for leaving work in New York for so long. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “If it means anything, these last two weeks have been the best two weeks of my life.”
This pandemic has taken away so much from so many people, including my beloved grandmother. But it has given me a new perspective and appreciation for the most important person in my life, my mom. It only felt right to document our time together.
