eng paperAshley Stinson

English 121

10-19-2009

There were many different topics that I wanted to do my paper on but nothing stood out. Until I thought long and hard and the topic was in front of me the entire time. I have decided to talk about my journey with my second family my “Step” family, and there archetypes and how they are growing. The more I thought about it my life’s journey would not be the same had they not been in my life. They were a big impact in my life as well as me in theirs.

I really was not feeling the idea of another family. She already had three children, Shaquetta (Quetta), Shondalaya (Shonnie), Keysheria (KK). I didn’t think I was going to like them at all. To be truthful I was secretly thinking of how was going to break them up because I didn’t want to share my daddy. Yes it may have been wrong but that is the truth. My Destroyer archetype was definitely rearing its ugly head.

The first time I met my “step” family was about a couple of days before my dad married my step mom. I was not looking forward to this meeting but I was sort of open minded. As soon as I walked in the door we all hit it off. I started to help with dinner and I immediately felt a connection so strong it literally scared me. After leaving all I could do was talk about my new family and how much we had in common.

The day before the wedding I and my step mom’s mother had a huge falling out and I decided not to be in the wedding. I felt just like Siddhartha when his father refused to give him his blessing. That woman just didn’t like me. Not that I cared but I was not going to be somewhere I wasn’t wanted. She just didn’t give me the blessing of being a part of the family. So I decided I didn’t need to be.

On the day of the wedding I was debating on whether I should go but I really didn’t want to but I said for the sake of my father I will come. As soon as I got there her mother was waiting at the door and gave me an apology. It must have been the Sage archetype in her because she knew the truth and that she was in the wrong.  After that we got along great and the wedding was beautiful I even shed a couple of tears because I was so happy for my dad.

As the first year went by we grew so close you would have thought that we were blood relatives. With my little sisters my caregiver archetype took over really quickly. I was ready to step up and be the big sister they needed. I and the oldest Quetta hit it off from the start. Her personality definitely showed her Innocent archetype.  The middle child Shonnie and I also hit it off with a great start. I immediately felt her Warrior archetype begin to show. The youngest one KK and I did not work out so well. She was used to running things and getting her way and I was not having that. She definitely had the Ruler archetype.  My dad and I have always been on good terms. His Lover archetype takes over and off lot. He is just on big loving teddy bear.  My step mom and I were a little shaky but okay none the less. I without delay saw her Warrior archetype take over.

As three more years went by we grew even stronger. I knew that no matter what trials and tribulations we went through we where a family and would work it out as such. I saw their archetypes change very often. I saw each one of them grow more and more as a person.

This recent year we got an addition to our family. Her name is Heaven (Muffin). When we first found out my sister Quetta was pregnant was the biggest shock of our lives. That was an even bigger journey inside of the journey we were already in. Throughout her whole pregnancy was the biggest I have ever seen my caregiver archetype take over.

On the day of her birth was the happiest of my life. The only people at the hospital were me and my step mom. This was also another time that brought us all closer together. Seeing my sister in that much pain really hurt me. It felt like I was stuck underneath the Owsla like the rabbits in the book Watership Down. I knew that I could not take that pain away from her because it was something that had to happen.  But through those 4 agonizing days something beautiful came. When I saw her beautiful face with those ten fingers and toes I felt so complete. We all laughed when we seen her but her hand on her head as if to say “Why don’t people leave me alone”. It was really a riot to the whole entire Jefferson hospital staff.

Muffin’s archetypes began to how quickly. I could definitely see how strong and dominant she was. I could see her Warrior and Innocent archetype really take over her. When she came into the house she changed everyone an awful lot. It was sort of like when the youngest son in the Brocade story took the responsibility to help his mother. That is how it was when she came home. Everyone was making it there responsibility to help take care of her. With this new addition made everyone’s Caregiver archetype take over.  She was the last entry into our family but with her now it has made our journey go to a whole new level.

I chose to write about my second family because the journey I have been on with them has truly been a rollercoaster. This journey with them has made me a better person. So far in life I can say that this journey out of my many has truly been the most rewarding.  They have taught me so much about myself. They bring out the best and worst at times in me and it doesn’t make me love them any less. Our journey is like the rabbits in Watership Down even though they were often in the “belly of the whale” they did reach happiness as a family.  I can’t wait to see where our journey that is still continuing will lead us