Violet & Me - by Laura Caraballo

Originally posted on June 23, 2011 http://spinclass.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/violet-me/

It was my 2 weeks before my 8th birthday; I was leaving for Puerto Rico for the first time. My dad, aunt, cousin, and I were going to visit family that I had never met before. I was nervous and scared, I didn’t know what to expect. The thought of leaving home for that length of time had me in tears as we boarded the plane. Inevitably, I ended up falling in love with the beaches, beautiful weather and my cousins who I had a blast playing with the entire time, so of course I had no desire to leave and the end of the 2 weeks. The same condition I left Rochester in (tears) was the same condition I left Puerto Rico in. I guess that should have been a sign in my life that goodbyes would always be hard for me. Granted I don’t cry at every single one anymore it’s always awkward, never fun, to say good bye when you know you won’t see someone for a long time, if ever again.

After the long exhausting flight back to Rochester I wasn’t sure if I was excited to see my mom and sister or if I wanted to go back to the beach. Back then your family was allowed to wait at the terminal for you and greet you as you departed the plane. We were flying back home right around my birthday and it was rather hard to miss the welcoming committee with posters and signs saying “Happy Birthday Laura” and my godmother dressed as a purple clown… I had never seen her dressed as a clown before but there was no fooling this genius of an 8 year old! I think I may have broken her heart when instead of seeing a clown all I could see was her and in my spunky 8 year old attitude said “Hiiiii Sandi” as if I couldn’t be bothered with trying to be tricked. We joke about this moment still to this day about how she was dressed as Violet the clown but to me she was just my goofy godmother.

It was only fitting that Violet is the one that chose our Spin Class topic this week of clowns. Even when she isn’t dressed as Violet she can always make me smile and laugh. She doesn’t have to put on her purple wig and makeup and glittery skirts to cheer people up but man she pulls it off well. She may lives miles away from me now but she never fails to inspire me and influence me in one way or another.