“Sissy, I’m hungry,” was always a phrase I heard growing up. My two little sisters would tell me this in hopes I would cure their hunger.
I always did. Little 9-year-old me would venture into the kitchen and get a can of SpaghettiOs for my then 8- and 5-year-old little sisters. I would get a saucepan and heat them up on the stove. I would always give them more than I gave myself, because I knew they needed it more than I did.
This is the life of being the oldest daughter. Always taking care of my younger siblings, always being depended on for things that shouldn’t be my responsibility. I have been babysitting my sisters since I was 6 or 7; in a way, I raised them. You’re probably wondering where our mom was: well, she was always working. I can only penalize her so much. It’s an expensive world to live in, she had to keep food on the table. However, in doing so, she neglected the very children she was trying to provide for.
Growing up, our mother had a lot of boyfriends. She would leave us in their care while she was at work. However, most of her boyfriends wouldn’t care for us and would physically abuse us. We were not allowed in the kitchen, and they wouldn’t feed us. So, feeding my sisters was my job. We were too small to reach the microwave, so I would use the stove for things. There were a lot of times where I would get in trouble for being in the kitchen, but I would do anything to ensure my sisters’ hunger would be satisfied, even if that meant I would go hungry myself.
This time in my life had a huge impact on who I am as a person. I care deeply about others and want to see them have their basic needs met. I have a maternal side to me. I believe nobody should go hungry. I believe food is a basic human right. Nobody should be starving when our store shelves are fully stocked.
As my sisters and I get older, we remember our childhood struggles and learn to accept and cope with them. We never have to go hungry anymore, we are fed and full.
Even though I have other food options now, I still eat SpaghettiOs, and I am reminded of the perseverance and determination I exhibited as a child. This I believe.
This I Believe Illinois is NPR Illinois' annual essay program for Illinois high school seniors. An expression of where their minds are as they prepare to enter the adult world. This I Believe was started by radio journalist Edward R. Murrow in 1951 to allow anyone able to distil the guiding principles by which they lived. Special thank you to our sponsors: The Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise, Illinois Principals Association, Illinois Times, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, University of Illinois Springfield, and Cured Catering.
