My Crucible Experience

I remember the day clearer than any other. I was in 5th grade. My mom sat me down and told me my father would be living in another home. They called it “temporary.” “It will end” “It is not divorce”, they said. This, age nine, is when the constant packing, unpacking and swapping from house to house began. This lasted about a year until my Dad moved back in. We were whole, again. That was the happiest month I can really remember. Having two parents say goodnight to me, not having to repeat each story twice, and meals with someone at each head of the table. Everything was perfect. Until we decided to all go out to a family dinner. At this dinner my parents dropped one word.

Divorce.

I am the oldest of three. If I had to chose the toughest part of this situation, easily, it would be seeing the look on my sister's face across the dinner table. Watching, what seemed to be the happiest kid alive, smile fade into an expression of pure shock. Her face went pale. I remember how hard it was to hold back the tears, in order to appear strong for my younger siblings.
Something difficult I have gone through that changed me. Although, in the beginning it was extremely difficult to cope, I believe this experience changed me for the better. It has shaped me into the person I am today. Being the oldest of three in a broken family has forced me to become a role model, and taught me to take on large responsibilities. I learned how to use my independence for the better of my siblings. I learned how to cope with difficult people, I learned how to put on a happy face, I learned how to leave my family life at home. I learned how to be happy with my friends and at school. I learned how to smile through the day, ultimately being content with my life. I gained the strength to look at the pros and not the cons. This unfortunate situation has caused me to become a more positive person. If I could give one piece of advice to