Laila Simpson felt like she was all alone in the world.
She was farther from the truth than she could ever know. Alone? Who is alone in a world teeming with people? Who is alone on this Earth where creatures and critters crawl and fly? Who is alone
within the divine universe of God’s domain?
It started when Laila's brother Tyler died. Tyler was her rock and her protector. Growing up it was just the two of them. Fending for themselves when their mother was on a binge. Lying to adults when another nosy neighbor got in their business and called DCFS. Scraping by to get enough spare change to buy a box of Cheerios.
Laila and Tyler, Tyler and Laila.
April 15, 2013, Tyler was shot in a drive by. The killer thought he was some
dude from a rival gang. And just like that with a “pop-pop” Tyler was gone and Laila was on her own.
Some people rise to the occasion when tragedy strikes. Laila’s mom sunk. She went deeper into her world of mental illness and addiction. Two weeks and one day after her son’s death, Linda Simpson scored some heroin and killed herself by overdose. It was the way she wanted to go.
Laila was nineteen at the time, too old for the system and too young to have to worry about supporting
herself. Somehow, by the grace of God, she did find the means to keep a roof over her head and food on her table.
Her loneliness became a comfort. She had the time and space to mourn the only two people who had ever loved her.
Wake up. Go to work. Come home. Remember. Go to sleep. Wake up and start all over again. She was in a rhythm. No one was near to try and cheer her up, to tell her to move on. She bore the pain without assistance.
Time does heal and God made humans
resilient.
It was September 26, 2015. There was a lot of excitement at JFK...READ MORE
